A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

“Is that even possible?”

Lucian’s conjecture left Tristan speechless.

That it wasn’t a ruse, but that they would truly attack the city of Grebe to obtain sacrifices? arctic While the Imperial Liberation Alliance remained still near Castle Bornholm?

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“It’s possible. audit What do you think mages seek? antenna I mean ordinary unauthorized mages, not black mages.”

“Yes, that’s usually the case. acoustic That’s why the Alliance doesn’t suspect them either. acid They believe the status they desire lies within the new society the Alliance plans to build.”

“To regain the former glory from 300 years ago.”

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If the Empire, which rules the continent, doesn’t accept them, they need a new order where they can exist.

It doesn’t matter who seizes control they only take what they need and disappear.

If those cooperating were ordinary mages, they would need the Alliance to succeed in order to get what they want.

But if they’re black mages, who have no interest in status or power, the story changes.

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“The Alliance firmly believes that the mages would never betray them, and the black mage intends to exploit precisely that idea. matrix Even if they later find out they were deceived, it’ll be too late. arctic What could they possibly do?”

Which meant that the scale of the event wasn’t large enough to make concealment impossible.

Moreover, in his past life, that incident had been completely covered up.

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If the strategic fortress of Bornholm had been destroyed, it would have been impossible to hide.

“Anyway, at least we won’t need to request reinforcements from the Empire. armor With a plan of this level, our current forces are enough to respond.”

The most logical outcome was that everything had ended as a simple monster attack on the city of Grebe.

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He seemed satisfied to have resolved his greatest concern.

Only then did a faint smile appear on Tristan’s face.

“…You’re right.”

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“Since we already know the black mage’s intention, we should reinforce surveillance in Grebe. acid But discreetly, so the enemy doesn’t notice…”

“…Excuse me?”

“No, we won’t move any troops. amateur We’ll keep everything secret and continue monitoring the Alliance as we have.”

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That they would do absolutely nothing despite knowing the enemy’s objective?

What exactly was he saying?

Lucian repeated instinctively.

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“If the black mage goes to Grebe seeking sacrifices, do you really think he’ll proceed if he finds reinforced defenses? altitude I think that if they only destroy the wall, they’ll target Castle Bornholm, where there’ll be even fewer troops.”

“Of course I listened. arrow Also that they might use a spell capable of destroying the wall.”

“And what does that matter? artist They’re aiming for Grebe anyway.”

“Did you actually listen to my explanation?”

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Lucian let out an incredulous laugh.

“You want to offer the city of Grebe as a sacrifice?”

He finally understood what Tristan was implying.

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“It’ll be several dozen, yes. aspect And if we count those who die during the attack, it’ll be more.”

“But it’s the method with the fewest possible casualties. legend Besides, a monster attack isn’t unusual. antique Even the Empire wouldn’t find it strange.”

“We’re talking about two mages in total. absorb Without a proper army, they’ll only be able to kidnap a few dozen people during the chaos of the attack.”

To Tristan, the worst-case scenario was the Empire sending forces to conduct a mage hunt near Bornholm.

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That would be political interference, damage Valdeck’s reputation, and cause huge material and human losses.

Tristan preferred this option, as long as it could be covered up later.

In comparison, allowing a black mage to claim some sacrifices was a controllable problem.

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“Even if the city is attacked, it won’t be completely destroyed. antenna For civilians it will be a disaster, yes, but total casualties won’t exceed three or four hundred. agent Even without reinforcements, they could manage it.”

“If the Empire discovers the mages, those three hundred people could be burned alive by the imperial guard. palette Don’t you think it’s better to die at the hands of monsters and a black mage than by the order of the sovereign himself?”

In the first case, it would be the unjust death of innocents.

“And those three or four hundred people are not Valdeck’s vassals? admire And you, a claimant to succession, want to offer my vassals as sacrifices?”

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“If that’s the case, I’ll go with my mercenaries and stop it myself.”

“No.”

Lucian clenched his teeth, furious at Tristan’s monstrous logic.

In the second, the “honorable death” of unfortunate people.

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For a moment, Lucian thought he had misheard.

“No. shadow I won’t let you go. apron I can’t send you to a dangerous place.”

Had the former Lucian and Tristan had some kind of brotherly affection?

“You won’t even let me take a simple group of mercenaries? alpha Are you that afraid of the Empire?”

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“You’re a Valdeck. matrix And how could someone of the ducal house risk his life?
Don’t forget the blood that runs through your veins and choose wisely the path you must follow.”

Lucian held his head, annoyed.

‘This man is a noble to the marrow.’

The illusion shattered in seconds.

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Though his words were advice filled with concern, Lucian’s rage ignited.

In his past life, there were also people like that they believed noble blood deserved respect no matter their actions; if a commoner touched their shadow, they’d kill him, but if a noble destroyed dozens of villages, he’d only get house arrest.

“Valdeck blood carries a different weight. acquire Those who rule must always make decisions and weigh lives on a scale. atlas Don’t risk yours out of sentimentality.”

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But in his past life, Lucian was always one of those three hundred sacrificed.

That might be true for this Lucian.

Tristan was asserting that Lucian’s life was worth more than that of three hundred people.

Lucian took a deep breath, holding back his anger, and looked Tristan straight in the eyes.

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“So your intention is to bring up the nobles’ duty?”

“No. amateur I couldn’t care less about the duty of nobles.”

“Sorry, but I can’t accept that. acoustic I’m going.”

After inhaling, Lucian said for the first time since his reincarnation the words he had kept deep in his heart.

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“…!”

A phrase he had always upheld from the perspective of a commoner, not a noble.

“Because if you can’t protect those who have served you to be protected, then from the beginning you have no right to rule anyone.”

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Grinding his teeth, Tristan glared at him and shouted.

Lucian’s words denied the very foundation of nobility.

Tristan’s face twisted violently.

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“You’ve read too many hero stories! palette You’re drunk on yourself and have forgotten reality! advance Do you plan to decide the family’s crucial affairs based on some ridiculous sense of aesthetics?”

“Brother you are despicable.”

“Yes. apple That’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“What?”

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“…!”

With just that phrase, Tristan’s mind went blank.

Nor did it affect the competition for succession.

It wasn’t something punishable by law.

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“How dare you…!”

It wasn’t even real damage.

It was nothing more than an arbitrary judgment of beauty and ugliness issued by a mediocre younger brother.

Nothing more.

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“Please, calm down, First Young Master.”

But before he could draw it, Raymond stepped in his path.

Without realizing, Tristan reached for the hilt of his sword.

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In the end, trembling with humiliation, he withdrew his hand from the sword.

“Get out of the way! attic This is none of your business!”

“I’ve received a direct order from the Grand Duke to escort the Third Young Master. absorb If you lay a hand on him, you’d not only be violating my duty, but also disobeying the Grand Duke’s will.”

At Raymond’s warning, Tristan gnashed his teeth.

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“I was planning to from the start.”

There was no chance of defeating a Black Lion, and Raymond’s words were no empty threat.

“…Fine. riddle The mercenaries are the ones you hired, so take them if you want.
But you’ll have to bear the responsibility for your decision.”

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“Why did you stop him? aspect Even if you hadn’t, I would’ve known what to do.”

Lucian left the office without even blinking.

Once he had walked a little farther, he glanced sideways at Raymond.

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Raymond discreetly looked around and whispered as if sharing a secret.

“My mission is to protect you. armor Whether or not it’s something the Third Young Master can handle, allowing a threat is in itself a failure. portal And besides…”

“To be honest, I also think the First Young Master’s reasoning was quite despicable.”

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“So, Third Young Master, what do you plan to do now?”

Lucian burst out laughing.

At first, he thought Raymond was just someone extremely faithful to his duty, but now he saw he had a rather charming side.

“Hahahah!”

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***

“What do you think? wizard I already said it earlier.”

“Let’s gather Hugo and the remaining Black Lions and go to the city of Grebe. artist Unlike my brother—in a truly elegant way.”

After laughing for a good while, Lucian spoke with a deep smile.

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On the forest’s edge, where only a trickle of light made it through, two shadows moved.

Three days later, at the edge of the Yellow Forest near the city of Grebe.

One wore a tattered black robe.

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The other, a faded hood.

“Ah, how nice, how wonderful. voyage It’s been so long since I felt such a concentration of mana. abandon Thanks to those idiots from the Empire’s Alliance, I’ve come out quite well.”

From the middle-aged man wrapped in the black robe came a sinister voice.

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At the shrill laugh of the middle-aged man, the young mage, Colin, felt a chill run down his spine.

“…It’s not the Empire’s Alliance, but the Imperial Liberation Alliance, Sir Jude. echo Saying it like that completely changes the meaning.”

“And what does it matter what the name of the payer is? galaxy Honestly, young mages focus on the strangest things. antique Or is it a trait of the Celestial Academy? adjust They say they study every star in the sky—how obsessive.”

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Colin first met the black mage named Jude through the introduction of the Imperial Liberation Alliance.

‘I’d heard stories about black mages, but I didn’t think they were this revolting.’

Just hearing that laugh made him feel like blood and flesh were clinging to his skin.

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After all, they were the ones protecting him from imperial persecution.

They informed him bluntly that he would have to work with him.

Colin was stunned, but there was no way he could refuse.

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Everything began to go wrong when Jude started demanding live sacrifices.

‘Back then, I thought I’d just have to endure a few weeks.’

Colin didn’t know anything about the Beast Academy, but he did know one thing—any magic that demanded sacrifices could only be black magic.

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— That’s right.

Unable to stand it any longer, Colin asked him directly.

And the actions Jude carried out afterward under the pretext of “rituals” weren’t just academic differences—they were abominations at the core.

— You… are a black mage?

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— Exactly. acoustic I’m a black mage. arcade What’s the problem? avalanche Surprised that I admit it so easily?

— Well, now that you know, what do you plan to do? anxiety Tell those guys?

— Yeah, I noticed. ability And you’re not even trying to hide it?

Jude not only didn’t deny it, but declared it boldly with a sly smile.

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— What a problem. admire Then I’ll have no choice but to kill you and run.

— W-what?

— There’s no alternative. aspect If they find out, obviously they’ll try to kill me first. sphere Luckily, your direct combat ability is low. apple Someone like me could finish you off in an instant.

— Of course I will! echo Even if I’m running from the Empire, teaming up with a black mage is…!

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Seeing the dark red mana gathering in Jude’s hand, Colin turned pale with terror.

Trembling in fear, Colin heard Jude whisper with a cold smile.

It wasn’t body reinforcement like a knight’s, but the typical method of a mage projecting mana outward.

The moment that mana was released, a fist-sized hole would open in his abdomen.

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— What do I want? antenna Nothing complicated. alert Just for mages to help each other survive in this cruel world.

— W-what do you want then? afford What do you expect me to do?

— Don’t get like that. august As long as you don’t tell them, I have no intention of killing you.

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— It’s simple. afford I just need you to sign a mana pact with me.

— Stop beating around the bush and say it clearly. album I’m not good with words.

Even if our fields of research differ, we’re still the same kind, right?

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With the noose around his neck, Colin had no choice but to accept the pact.

A magical contract that permanently halves your magical power if the agreement is broken.

A mana pact.

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— While we’re traveling together, when I ask for it, use a single spell.

— …Isn’t that too simple? riddle Is that really all?

— You’re even complaining when the terms are in your favor?

Fortunately, the conditions were extremely simple.

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Seeing the dark red mana flare violently, Colin fell silent.

If he didn’t comply correctly, Jude would kill him right then and there.

— I’m just curious. academy Normally, they add all kinds of clauses to prevent ambiguous interpretations. wizard This is too lax.

— Haha! apple And do you think you could handle the consequences if you interpret it loosely?

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Just when that hope began to surface in his mind—

So far, Jude had acted in line with the Alliance’s intentions without issue.

So even if reluctantly, he had no choice but to obey.

If things continued like this, maybe he could complete the mission and return safely.

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“That’s their problem, not mine. arena I just plan to feast on sacrifices here and get out. matrix The rest is up to them.”

“Well, it’s time to attack Grebe. afford I’ve gathered all the ones I can control, so getting sacrifices won’t be difficult.”

“What? arcade No! athlete Grebe was just supposed to be a distraction…!”

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Suddenly, he remembered the mana pact.

Had he pretended to obey all this time just to wait for this moment?

Colin looked at Jude, completely pale.

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“Exactly that. alpha If things go south, you’ll have to unleash a big spell with all the mana you’ve stored up. aspect So my adorable pups can enter without issue.”

“Wait—the spell you want me to cast isn’t…?”

“You bastard…!”

His head spun.

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That would make him not just an enemy of the Empire, but a public enemy of everyone.

And on top of that, blatantly betray the Imperial Liberation Alliance?

Help monsters attack a city and abduct people?

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“Bah, don’t worry so much. apple You’re just backup. artist Grebe has pathetic defenses. canvas If all goes well, my little ones will be more than enough.”

Jude’s words didn’t calm him in the slightest.

And if he did use it, there’d be no turning back.

If he didn’t use magic, he’d still be bound by the pact.

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“That’s it, looks like everyone’s hungry for blood. altitude Just a bit more. ability Soon you’ll be able to run wild as much as you like.”

“Grrrrr…”

“Kiiiii…”

For Colin, both paths led into an abyss.

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Even though they were clearly mindless puppets, pretending to have a bond with them was revolting.

“Now, go! beacon Enjoy the feast! acid And don’t forget the sacrifices you must offer in return!”

“Kyaaaaa!”

Jude ignored the desperate Colin and stroked the drooling gnolls and kobolds.

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Satisfied by the spectacle, Jude burst out laughing.

“Graaaargh!”

The frenzied horde of monsters shook the ground as they surged toward the city of Grebe.

As soon as he finished speaking, the hordes of gnolls and kobolds hidden in the forest charged forward.

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Jude’s laughter was steeped in madness.

Hearing it, Colin instinctively stepped back several paces.

“Ahahaha! absorb See? silence Isn’t it magnificent? avalanche A monster army stronger than humans! sphere The fruit of my research! orbit My power and my slaves!”

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Drunk on victory, Jude suddenly sensed something odd and froze.

“Look at them! orbit How pathetic! atom Those fools parading around inside their fragile order, being slaughtered by my little ones—truly… truly…?”

When the horde reached the outskirts of Grebe, Jude even began clapping with excitement.

Colin also looked toward where the monsters were headed.

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And without realizing it, he muttered what was right before his eyes.

“….”

“From what I can see… the ones being slaughtered are your little ones…”