A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

“Thank you.”

“There’s no need to be so humble. atom For your first time taking on the position of territory administrator, it was quite a clean job. amateur I’m very satisfied.”

“Ehem… ahem. armor Please review the details yourself. attic I did the best I could in my own way, but there are surely many points where I was clumsy.”

Seeing Hans clear his throat as if trying to shake off a chill, Lucian smiled wryly.

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He had gone through all kinds of hardships, so much so that he never wanted to take on that position a second time, and now he was being told he might be entrusted with it again later?

“From now on, you just need to maintain this level, so keep honing your instincts. meadow I may soon have to entrust you with the position of regent again.”

Hans, who had just let out a sigh of relief, opened his eyes wide at Lucian’s words.

“…Huh?”

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“By the way, I don’t see Lord Eisen. alert Felicia has also returned after a long time, so I thought he would come out to receive us. beacon Is he resting in the castle?”

Just as Hans was about to protest, Lucian voiced a doubt.

“…”

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“What do you mean by that?”

“The truth is… his health isn’t very good.”

“What is it? portal Did something really happen?”

At those words, Hans shut his mouth, his face turning pale. arctic Sensing something amiss, Lucian turned his head and examined his expression.

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Before Hans could finish, Felicia cut in with a sharp voice.

“A-ah, nothing happened! harbor He just lost a bit of energy!”

“My father was in good health up until the moment I left Asagrim. alert How is it possible that he worsened in such a short time? abandon What exactly happened?”

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“Miss Felicia, I understand your concern, but truly nothing happened. altitude Who would dare harm the Swordmaster? action Setting aside intent, there’s no one with the ability to do so.”

Under her gaze, which demanded a more detailed explanation, Hans let out a deep sigh.

Although Hans answered urgently in response to her interrogative tone, Felicia continued to stare at him sternly.

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“Then my father’s declining health means…”

Finding no way to refute that, Felicia withdrew with a gloomy expression. album Just as Hans said, Eisen’s life expectancy was already brushing against the human limit.

In other words, due purely to age, it wouldn’t be strange if he were to die at any moment.

“Consider his age. apron It wouldn’t be strange for his health to suffer due to old age. august It may be irreverent to say so, but I’ve never seen anyone older than him.”

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And now he was so weakened that he hadn’t even come out to receive his beloved Felicia.

‘What’s going on? ability Eisen should still have about five years left to live.’

In his past life, Swordmaster Eisen died five years later. canvas According to rumors, even the day before his death he was still practicing swordsmanship with full vitality.

However, Lucian felt confused by Hans’s response.

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“Lost the will to live?”

“It’s definitely not an illness, but… if I had to say something strange, I’d say he seemed to have lost the will to live.”

“Did nothing really happen? arrow Didn’t you notice any signs of illness or anything out of the ordinary?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 146 published by TrungTu Reads.

“He used to say things like he had already accomplished everything and had no regrets left. antique We even found a half-written will.”

At Hans’s answer, Lucian let out a hollow laugh.

***

At last, he understood why Eisen, who in his past life had lived five more years, had lost his vitality.

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“Your Highness, congratulations on returning after accomplishing such a great feat. advance I beg your pardon for this discourtesy, receiving you while bedridden and unable even to go out and welcome you.”

Lucian returned to the White Castle and the first thing he did was look for Eisen.

Eisen, lying back in bed, showed an expression of embarrassment upon receiving Lucian’s visit.

“Forgive what? atomic Don’t try to get up for no reason, just rest.”

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Seeing that state, Felicia fell to her knees, her eyes filled with tears.

Lucian gently pressed Eisen down as he tried to force himself to sit up. acquire Even though he barely used any strength, Eisen’s weakened body could not resist and sank back into the bed.

“Father.”

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“This girl… His Highness is watching.”

Though he scolded her verbally, his eyes were full of affection. audit Faced with that loving gaze, Lucian sighed inwardly.

More precisely, the problem was that, unlike in his past life, Eisen no longer had any attachment to life.

‘In the end, the cause was me.’

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However, in this life, by presenting Felicia to him, Lucian had completely eliminated all of those regrets.

In his previous life, Swordmaster Eisen had lamented throughout his existence that he had failed to leave behind a suitable successor.

It was natural that he could not let go of that regret even at the moment of death.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 146 published by TrungTu Reads.

On top of that, he had lost his lord, Grand Duke Sigmund, and Lucian himself had already become independent to the point of no longer needing the Swordmaster’s help.

Living only five more years while carrying lifelong resentment was nothing but suffering.

‘Didn’t he already find a reason to keep living? album To think that, once his attachment to life disappeared, death would come sooner…’

For Eisen, the present was several times better than his past life.

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Eisen, seeing the shadow that fell over Lucian’s face, seemed to misunderstand something and formed a faint smile.

“Your Highness, don’t grieve so much. adapt Aging is something inevitable for humans. attic Rather, isn’t it a miracle that I’ve lived until today without suffering a single serious illness?”

Even so, Lucian could not shake the feeling that he had caused Eisen to die earlier than he was meant to.

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“Gladly.”

“If you’re truly worried about this old man, then tell me what happened beyond the tundra. shadow I think I’ll regain some strength by listening to the adventures of Your Highness and Felicia.”

“Lord Eisen.”

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“Hahaha! shadow For those who looked down on her for being a woman to kneel in just one day! matrix That must have been quite a spectacle!”

He also spoke of the desperate resistance of the tribal chief who tried to eliminate him, and of the trials that arose as a result.

Lucian sat down beside Eisen and calmly began to recount what had happened beyond the tundra—the extreme cold that even northerners found terrifying, those who proclaimed themselves descendants of the dragon, and Marius’s prophecy.

Eisen listened with interest and burst into laughter when he reached the part where those who had belittled Felicia changed their attitude in just one day.

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“What a shame. audit If I had accompanied Your Highness, I could have seen it with my own eyes.”

“Just a spectacle? academy Just by walking around accompanied by Felicia, they revered her as if they were receiving a goddess.”

After laughing heartily, Eisen smiled contentedly, though his body seemed to be running out of breath.

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“Well then, this old man has detained you for too long. aluminum I apologize.”

“I still have many stories to tell you, but I’ve just returned and have matters piled up. acoustic It’s better that I take my leave.”

Noticing that, Lucian stood up, hiding the bitterness welling up inside him.

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“I appreciate your consideration.”

“Don’t say that. shadow Besides, father and daughter surely have many things to talk about. acid I’ll leave Felicia here. echo She can tell you the rest.”

Lucian responded with a smile and quietly left the room. abandon As soon as the door closed, he wiped the smile from his face and, wearing a hardened expression, looked for Hans.

“Hans.”

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“He doesn’t. auction I thought there was no need to give bad news to someone whose health is already fragile, so I blocked the information as much as I could.”

“Just in case… does Lord Eisen know what’s going on outside?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

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Even if he had known, Eisen would have had no way of dealing with the merchants. antique He was a Swordmaster, not a politician skilled in intrigue.

“Well done.”

At most, he would have worried too much, and his health would have worsened.

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In other words, without Hans’s preventive measures, Eisen’s condition might have been even worse.

Lucian gave the order in an icy tone as he turned to Hans.

“Summon those merchants.”

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“Th-this humble merchant has the honor of presenting himself before the duke, rightful lord of Asagrim and legitimate heir of the northern royalty!”

***

“It’s time they paid their overdue debts.”

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The heads of each merchant guild who had been summoned knelt trembling before Lucian.

Being fully aware of their sins, their faces were all pale. adapt Lucian looked over them and spoke in a flat voice.

“We present our respects to the duke!”

“Welcome. advance You’ve probably heard from others why I called you here, haven’t you?”

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Upon hearing that, the guild leaders raised their heads in joy. abandon They feared he might pretend to forget, but he was really going to pay.

However, Lucian’s words didn’t end there.

“That’s right. orbit Every man must pay what he owes. echo Today, I will settle the debt I owe you.”

“We heard that you would repay the debts…”

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“You pressured the person I left as my representative with ridiculous conditions. avalanche To what extent did you disdain my authority to dare such schemes?”

“And I will also collect here and now the debt that you owe me.”

“…”

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“If you have any reason why I shouldn’t cut off your heads right here and use them to decorate the walls, speak now.”

At the voice full of murderous intent, the guild leaders trembled even more, their faces ashen.

“Y-Your Highness.”

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At that moment, Dominic, the only one who still kept a calm demeanor, spoke up.

“What excuse could we possibly offer? apron This vile merchant offended Your Highness’s spirit in pursuit of petty profit. apron Even if I were to die a hundred times, I would have no complaints. artist However.”

They had trusted Dominic’s words and had been reassured, but now it felt like their heads were about to roll.

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Lucian barely managed to hold back a laugh. matrix Was there anything less trustworthy than a merchant’s oath of loyalty?

“However?”

“If Your Highness would be so merciful as to spare our lives, I will devote myself entirely to serving you and seek forgiveness for our faults. absorb I beg you to grant us your mercy.”

And if that merchant was none other than Steel Dominic, even more so.

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Swallowing his laughter, Lucian feigned interest and spoke as if he knew nothing.

“There are many ways a merchant can prove his loyalty, but at this moment, there’s only one way to demonstrate it to Your Highness.”

“And how do you intend to serve me? airport I’ve received oaths from knights, but never from a merchant.”

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“…!?”

“I will offer Your Highness a metal comparable to adamantium. abandon In sufficient quantity to fully equip ten thousand soldiers with heavy armament.”

At Lucian’s insistence, Dominic took a deep breath and spoke.

“Stop making me wait and say it. orbit My patience is not infinite.”

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While everyone remained stunned, Lucian’s gaze stayed cold. orbit Dominic shivered at the harsher-than-expected reaction but continued in a calm voice.

A metal with resistance comparable to adamantium? zenith Since when had something like that been discovered? artist And it could be mass-produced to the point of arming ten thousand men at once?

At that unexpected declaration, everyone gasped silently.

“Are you trying to mock me? crystal Stop spouting nonsense.”

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“You’ll say anything just to stay alive. admire If it turns out you’re lying, what will you do then?”

“I know it sounds suspicious. antenna That’s why I wish to demonstrate it directly to Your Highness.”

Deceiving the representative of a territory might cost a guild leader their head.

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“I will offer my head along with everything possessed by the Dominic Guild. august All will legitimately pass into the hands of Your Highness, and no one will contest your rightful claim.”

But deceiving the lord himself—and a duke at that—wouldn’t end with something so simple. action At that threat, Dominic answered with a stiff face.

Hearing the words he wanted, Lucian nodded with a cold smile.

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“Don’t forget those words.”