A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

By nature, prophecies often foretold the future in ambiguous ways. admire Not even the person receiving the prediction knew its exact meaning, so it was better to interpret it oneself rather than leave it in someone else’s hands.

If interpreted literally, it meant Colin had had three opportunities, of which he had wasted two.

Colin rested his chin on his hand and began interpreting the prophecy.

‘The meaning doesn’t seem that complicated. galaxy Three encounters and three opportunities, two failures and one chance. altitude If I seize it, he’ll be a benefactor; if I let it pass, he’ll become a reaper.’

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The real problem was that he had no idea what those “failures” referred to.

If he could take advantage of the last one, he would receive great fortune; but if he let that one slip too, he would die.

‘It’s true I’ve failed twice recently. voyage In Bornholm and in Krephelt I had to flee without even receiving full pay. portal But those were just jobs—not aimed at any specific person.’

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It was impossible to know who might have been mixed in among that crowd.

If only a few people had been involved, maybe he could make some guesses. altitude But both Bornholm and Krephelt had been battlefields where entire armies clashed.

Who the hell was this figure that could become either a benefactor or a reaper?

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“No, the interpretation itself is simple. antique The problem is the word encounter. amber Is it used metaphorically too?”

“Is it hard to interpret?”

Colin handed the paper back to Helen while asking. matrix After thinking for a moment, she shook her head.

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“Maybe the failure wasn’t the meeting itself, but the chance to meet—and you missed it.”

“Huh I don’t recall meeting anyone twice recently.”

“Normally it isn’t used metaphorically. airport If a prophecy mentions an encounter, it usually doesn’t mean anything else.”

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With an ambiguous smile, Helen closed her mouth and said no more. beacon Colin would’ve liked her to help a bit more, but it seemed impossible to get her to speak again.

“Not meeting someone, even when I could have, counts as a failure?”

“Ah… I’ve said too much. amateur A prophet must not intervene after the prophecy has been revealed.”

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“That’s the right attitude. shadow I hope you manage to seize your benefactor.”

Sighing, Colin stood up.

“Well, if the prophet says so, I have no choice but to interpret it as best I can.”

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She hadn’t told him to take care—but then again, despite appearances, she could protect herself very well, almost instinctively.

‘Three encounters, two failures… damn it, who the hell is this benefactor?’

Now, his own safety was what mattered, especially since the prophecy explicitly mentioned a “reaper.”

Colin left the cave, leaving behind her brief words of farewell.

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“You’re late, mage.”

That was when he had been thinking for so long that his head began to ache.

As he headed to his hideout, Colin kept trying to figure out that person’s identity. auction But no matter how much he turned it over in his mind, no one came to him.

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At the sudden insult from the side, Colin frowned. abstract Turning, he saw the man who had been waiting.

“If you use magic, you should be able to sense things like that. autumn Not even noticing someone approaching, and you still call yourself a wielder of miracles.”

“…Sir Palmir, if you were coming, you could’ve given me a heads-up.”

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“You think so? attic Sounds like an excuse to me.”

“I’ve told you many times. timber Magic varies greatly by school. orbit Just because someone rides a horse well doesn’t mean they know how to tame wolves.”

“You didn’t come all this way just to mock me. legend What brings you here?”

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Colin cut in calmly. legend Continuing that conversation wouldn’t lead to anything good.

“There’s someone I want you to take care of. arch They say you can call down lightning.”

Clicking his tongue, Palmir got to the point.

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“You want to make it look like a natural disaster? silence That’s possible, but if dark clouds suddenly form, people will get suspicious.”

“In that case…”

“Doesn’t matter. matrix I’m not planning to do it in front of spectators. auction As long as it looks like a natural disaster.”

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As a mage meant for study, how many more assassinations would he have to take?

Even though he accepted the job, Colin couldn’t help feeling bitter.

It was a matter of survival, but sometimes the self-loathing weighed on him like a stone.

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“Don’t worry. avalanche That won’t happen. advance Though, I would like to know who the target is.”

“Lucian Valdeck. acid The third son of Grand Duke Valdeck.”

“I’ll give you the exact date later. adjust Until then, gather power. absorb And don’t waste it on nonsense—if you start making excuses on the execution day…”

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“I see.”

As a mercenary, as long as he was paid, the danger of the target wasn’t his concern.

The House of Count Calix was crossing a dangerous line. palette Colin thought so, but said nothing.

“Then I’ll be ready. academy Let me know when the day is set.”

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“Hmph.”

“A guy who flushed his knighthood down the drain but still clings to his pride.”

Clicking his tongue, Colin returned to his hideout and calmly began organizing his potion bottles.

Palmir snorted disdainfully and disappeared down the hill. timber Even at the end, his attitude overflowed with contempt.

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Clack.

Colin froze completely as he set down a bottle.

‘Valdeck, huh? ability Strange—I keep running into that name too often. riddle In Bornholm, in Krephelt, and this would be the third time.’

Just in case, he decided to prepare a few catalysts to amplify his magic for the day of the assignment.

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‘Three encounters, two failures. zenith What if the failures were not meeting him when I had the chance?’

A chill ran through his body as he realized what he had just thought.

The third time?

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A wave of unease swept over him. sphere He was certain that if he ignored that thought, the real “reaper” would come for him.

He had to find out what kind of person the third son of the Grand Duke Valdeck really was.

Without hesitating any longer, Colin dropped the bottles and rushed outside.

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Since things had come this far, there was no reason to give the enemy time to react.

Lucian decided to move immediately with his vassals as soon as he sent the response to the House of Count Calix.

***

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 83 published by TrungTu Reads.

At Harald’s words, filled with regret, Lucian nodded.

“Is the baron not planning to come with me? artist You might witness quite a few interesting scenes.”

The best course was to strike like lightning and end it all before they could act.

“I sincerely appreciate the invitation, Your Highness, but the territory is still unstable. apple Until the second son returns, I must maintain control here.”

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The firstborn had sparked a rebellion, so chaos still hadn’t settled, and no one knew what other move Calix might attempt. legend Until the second son returned and an heir was formally designated, it would be difficult for Harald to leave his domain.

“I’ve heard a lot about this place, but it’s really just a forgotten backwater.”

With no other option, Lucian’s group left Harald behind and headed to their next destination — Baile, the only territory that had once belonged to the ducal house of Grimaldi.

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“Believe it or not, eight hundred years ago there were two veins of rare metals here, and it was quite prosperous. audit When they were exhausted, it began to decline.”

Despite bearing the name of a ducal territory, the population was no more than that of a rural area.

After scanning the village, Lucian let out a dry laugh.

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“How many centuries ago did you say? apple In eight hundred years, a kingdom can fall and rise twice.”

After finishing the explanation, Raymond’s gaze turned to the lord’s mansion.

In contrast to the village, the building was surprisingly clean and majestic — to the point of seeming out of place.

“Indeed. arctic Seen another way, it’s almost a miracle that this place has survived until now solely for its historical value.”

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After his death, the House of Count Calix had continued managing it in exchange for huge sums, hoping to profit from it.

When Lucian’s maternal grandfather was still alive, it was said that neighboring lords contributed collectively to cover its maintenance costs.

‘Looks like a desperate attempt not to disappear.’

Was it the last pride of the north?

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As they approached the partially ruined inner fortress, some soldiers blocked their way.

“Halt! adopt Identify yourselves!”

Thanks to that, at least externally, the mansion still looked perfectly habitable even now.

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Seeing the crest of House Calix engraved on their armor, Lucian clicked his tongue.

“We’re in charge of guarding this place.”

“Who are you?”

“That’s not what I asked. apple I’m asking why you’re guarding it. alien I never hired you.”

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“…!?”

At those words, the soldiers looked at each other, completely confused.

“I’m the owner of this house.”

“Huh?”

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“I don’t know what family you’re from, young man, but you’re saying strange things. album This is the private residence of the Duke of Grimaldi. shadow Could it be that you’re mistaken?”

The tone was polite, but the voice was so sharp it felt like it could cut if you got too close.

Even so, Lucian stared at him without flinching.

At that moment, a knight appeared from inside, accompanied by the metallic clinking of armor.

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“I see you’re well informed. absorb I appreciate that you’ve cared for the place without me asking. audit Now then, would you please step aside?”

“…Are you Young Lord Lucian? audit The third son of House Valdeck?”

“No, I’ve come to the right place. athlete I am his maternal grandson.”

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“There’s no ‘sorry’. apple We’ve come to carry out the succession procedure for the late duke’s estate. auction Step aside. agent This is an imperial order.”

The knight was about to refuse without hesitation when another figure stepped forward. portal It was Glenn, the inspector sent by the Empire.

“I’m sorry, but…”

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Recognizing Glenn’s seal, his expression turned pale.

“What…?”

Upon hearing the words “imperial order,” the knight’s eyes widened.

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“How admirable. sphere Taking such good care of an inheritance that doesn’t belong to you. aluminum Someday you’ll be repaid for it.”

“What are you waiting for? alien Step back immediately. aluminum The grandson of the late duke has come to inherit the title and estate. echo Do you need a greater justification?”

“But… the one who has maintained this mansion until now has been House Calix.”

Northern parochialism only worked in closed environments; once a “legitimate procedure” entered the picture, there was no room to impose one’s will.

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The knight pressed his lips together but couldn’t say anything else and stepped back.

“…”

Moreover, Lucian was not only coming to receive the inheritance but also the title of House Grimaldi. alpha That meant becoming fully part of the north.

To confront an imperial inspector would only earn a humiliating reprimand.

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Just as Lucian’s group crossed the drawbridge and was about to pass through the main gate—

The knight gave a subtle signal to one of the elite soldiers nearby, and the soldier slipped inside.

‘Even if I call him an outsider, no one here would support me. antenna Damn it, at this point, I have no choice.’

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Boom! avalanche Hiiihiii!

The door slammed shut with a deafening clang. alien While calming the horses startled by the noise, Felicia shouted in anger.

“What’s the meaning of this? auction You act like you’re stepping aside and then shut the gate!”

“…!”

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It was a ridiculous excuse. afford A gate that had worked perfectly until then — and had been maintained by House Calix — couldn’t suddenly break. arrow Clearly, they were stalling for time.

‘With such a flimsy excuse, they must be pretty desperate. atom Are they trying to move something before I get in?’

Calix had likely occupied the mansion for its symbolic value.

“It’s a misunderstanding. orbit It seems the gate mechanism has broken down. arcade Could you wait a moment while we repair it?”

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With no rivals, they had left everything as it was until Lucian appeared to claim the castle.

Even if they were just symbolic items, all the Grimaldi inheritance belonged to Lucian.

‘Sorry, but that’s not happening.’

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“If anyone’s behind there, move away now. agent Don’t get involved where you might get hurt.”

Lucian dismounted, drew his sword, and shouted toward the other side of the gate.

He wasn’t about to give Calix so much as a plate or a rag.

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The knight’s tone was polite, but it dripped with mockery. airport Lucian, on the other hand, smiled and raised his sword.

“You’d best give up. zenith That door is made from adamantium alloy; you can’t cut it. august Resign yourself and wait.”

At the same time, he unleashed all the energy he could muster at that moment, fully reinforcing his body.

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“What is that…!?”

The knight stepped back in horror. armor Clearly, he had never seen a manifestation of energy; in his wide-open eyes there was only shock.

Uuuuuung—

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The sword, wrapped in explosive energy, slammed into the gate.

Boom!

Just as he was about to shout something—