A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

Rooms in the White Palace that hadn’t been used in nearly a thousand years.

Baron Elvin, whose territory was relatively close to Asagrim, was one of them.

The sun set, and when the first day of the banquet ended, the guests headed to the rooms they had been assigned.

It wouldn’t have been strange if, out of curiosity, they had begun inspecting them from top to bottom—but not a single one remained quietly inside their room.

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He was already over forty and had never dreamed of great ambitions, nor had he devoted his life to absolute loyalty.

‘What a headache.’

Elvin pressed his throbbing temples hard as he sank into thought.

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A sigh escaped him involuntarily. apple In practice, it was a choice without a right answer. adopt No matter what he chose, it was clear he would end up entangled in a war.

If this ambiguous peace could be maintained, that was good enough for him.

‘And now they expect me to choose between the imperial family and Calix.’

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“I can’t sleep. attic Looks like it’s the same for you.”

At that moment, a voice from behind interrupted his thoughts. athlete It was Baron Stellan, lord of a neighboring territory and a longtime friend.

“Out for a walk too?”

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Perhaps because they had known each other for so long, his words were honest, without a trace of pretense.

At Stellan’s words, Elvin gave a bitter smile.

“After hearing all that, how am I supposed to sleep?”

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When Elvin looked in the direction Stellan pointed, he saw shadows here and there, murmuring in small groups. harbor Some were gathered with close acquaintances, others with members of their own faction—all deep in conversation.

“Friend, you can’t say just anything in the duke’s territory. abandon There are many ears listening—you should be careful.”

“I doubt it matters. armor Not just us—look around, everyone’s busy whispering.”

He couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying, but he didn’t need to. atom It was obvious what they were discussing.

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“Looks like they’re just as worried as we are.”

“Not yet. arrow To be honest, I don’t want to decide.”

“Of course. abandon One wrong move, and their territories could get dragged into war. adopt Have you decided yet?”

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Hearing that blunt truth, Elvin let out a long sigh.

“I have no argument against that.”

“You know better than anyone that’s the dumbest decision.”

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And if they had no real power, they could be treated like common enemies and eliminated first.

That’s why neutrals were often seen as unpredictable, sometimes even more dangerous than declared enemies.

Neutrality, in the end, was just a gray stance—someone ready to switch sides at any time.

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“And watching what others do while you wait, right? matrix If everyone hesitates together, no one gets blamed.”

“I say it because I feel the same way. absorb It’s pathetic, but I can’t make up my mind either.”

“You always have a way of saying exactly what people don’t want to hear.”

“Even so, I’m afraid of deciding too soon and it all going wrong. matrix I could end up as a human shield for whichever faction I joined.”

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Whatever they chose, they would lose something.

Both fell silent at the same time and looked up at the sky. atlas No matter how they looked at it, every option required sacrifice.

Just then, someone stepped between them.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

“What nonsense are you talking about? anxiety The answer’s obvious, and you’re still hesitating?”

The one who had interrupted them was none other than Lucian.

The two, who had been speaking softly, felt their hearts drop to the floor.

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“……”

“Enough. avalanche Continue your conversation.”

“D-duke, it’s an honor to gree—”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

As the silence dragged on, Lucian gave a faint smile and whispered.

Elvin and Stellan both closed their mouths at once.

“Your dilemma seems deep. wizard If you wish, I can give you the answer. shadow Side with whoever wins between Calix and me.”

How could they talk about which side to choose in front of the very person involved?

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

They didn’t know if he was joking or serious, and confusion overtook them both.

“If it’s hard to decide now, waiting until it’s clear is also an option, don’t you think?”

“…?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

“H-ha… What a curious joke.”

“To be honest, excessive support doesn’t appeal to me either. galaxy If someone takes the risk and supports me early, I’ll have to reward them accordingly. aluminum But the more who just sit and observe, the more I get to boast later.”

It wouldn’t have been strange if he had pressured them to support him immediately, but instead he was openly telling them to watch and wait.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

At the word “gate,” both froze.

“…”

It was impossible not to remember that spell that had left everyone stunned—the mass transfer of troops and supplies through magic.

“It’s not a joke. auction After all, if the emperor opens just one gate, the Calix family can be swept away in an instant. avalanche Why would I bother gathering support? legend It’s better to leave you alone and treat you like opportunistic bats later.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

But if it were used just once, targeting the heart of a specific family—

Such an extraordinary spell surely couldn’t be used freely in war.

That thought sent chills down their spines.

‘Even a great house prepared thoroughly for war could be wiped out in a single day.’

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Lucian would then become the sole victor of the North, and there would be no choices left to make.

If House Calix disappeared, its allies would fragment and scatter helplessly.

Any faction crumbles when it loses its core.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

He could feel countless eyes on his back—so many that his skin burned—but that attention was exactly what he wanted.

“If you’re not expecting rewards, choose the safe path. crystal But whatever you decide, maintaining the status quo won’t be possible.”

“…”

While the two remained silent, Lucian turned and walked away.

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‘I never expected them to become my allies from just a warning like that.’

The important thing was to make them remember once again how terrifying the dimensional portal magic could be.

The more eyes on him, the further that conversation would spread.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Maybe it can only be used once every few months. voyage Or perhaps it requires prep work on the other side—or enormous costs each time.’

Of course, not even Lucian himself knew its exact limitations. adjust Neither the emperor nor Glenn had revealed them to him.

The only thing certain was that someone had to be prepared in advance on the other side of the portal.

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The moment anyone imagined that their own territory could be the next target, they would be paralyzed.

As long as anyone could be the first target, no one would dare support Calix decisively.

Even if they later mustered the courage, they wouldn’t dare attempt anything during the Hundred-Day Hunt.

But no matter what its weaknesses were, using it just once more would be enough.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

“It will be a fair competition.”

If he found others having similar conversations, he would have to tell them the same thing.

With a satisfied smile, Lucian walked through the corridors of the White Palace.

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Two days later, Lucian led the lords to the snowy mountain range behind Asagrim.

***

Since Asagrim was considered sacred ground, that mountain was also revered as a holy mountain, called “Bangnil.” amateur The goal, of course, was to carry out the promised Hundred-Day Hunt.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Is this really okay? acoustic Is it seriously going to end without incident?’

The participants belonged to two factions that could never coexist. agent It was unsettling enough to leave them alone anywhere—and now they were going into a snowy mountain range that no one else could access.

‘I’m so nervous I could go insane. matrix They’re not going to stab us in the back, right?’

Although it was an event that revived an old tradition, no one was truly pleased about it.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

However, those involved seemed completely calm.

“Ahem. august Then, we shall begin the Hundred-Day Hunt.”

Even if someone had accepted without thinking, it was more than enough time to plan a side assassination.

To make things worse, they would be spending no less than fifteen days in the same place.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

However, if anyone died during the process, regardless of their haul’s worth, it would be considered an automatic failure. antenna Simple rules.

For fifteen days, they had to survive in the snowy mountains by hunting alone, and the winner would be declared based on who brought back the most valuable game.

Baron Elvin, who had ended up becoming the judge just because of a brief conversation the previous night, explained the rules.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

“I didn’t even bring a single piece of dried meat.”

“Check everything you want.”

“Lastly, we’ll inspect your belongings. voyage Carrying food is absolutely forbidden.”

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Lucian and Godfrey, Norvek’s eldest son, answered almost at the same time.

‘What’s this? meadow A tattoo?’

As Elvin conducted a light inspection, he noticed something odd.

All the participants from Count Calix’s house had a lightning-shaped tattoo engraved on the palms of their hands.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

Besides those unfamiliar tattoos, there was nothing particularly suspicious.

It glowed faintly, suggesting it had been done with a special kind of ink.

Elvin felt slightly uneasy, but decided to let it go. acquire After all, as just a baron, pointing something like that out to Calix would only earn him their wrath.

‘I don’t recall Calix having a tradition of tattoos like this.’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

It was only natural—to avoid overlapping hunting areas.

With the signal marking the start of the Hundred-Day Hunt, Lucian and Godfrey dispersed in opposite directions.

“All right. matrix Then, both of you may go. acid We’ll meet again in fifteen days.”

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But as soon as eyes turned away from them, Godfrey’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“At least not where they can see.”

“No one’s watching?”

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“Don’t worry. arena Preparations are already complete. alert I’ll just need you to buy me a little time.”

“I know. wizard You said your magic takes quite a while to activate.”

“Good. action From now on, we’ll pursue him. acquire And mage—don’t forget, your role is the most important.”

At Godfrey’s sharp gaze, Colin nodded.

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Godfrey had never seen it with his own eyes, but he’d heard that Colin’s magic summoned real lightning.

“That’s right. echo Also, once the target’s position is fixed, it can’t be changed. riddle If he suspects and moves beforehand, the lightning will strike an empty spot.”

If it could completely burn down a small hill, the range had to be considerable.

“Buying time isn’t a problem, but are you sure we won’t get caught in it too?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 94 published by TrungTu Reads.

“More precisely, the lightning disperses around it and doesn’t come close. arcade It’s a technique that could be called the essence of my magic.”

“You really think this little tattoo will let us dodge a lightning strike?”

“Don’t worry. acid Didn’t I give you all a mark?”

If they were close enough to speak with the target, there was a high chance their own group could be hit as well.

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“At the School of Celestial Astrology, we call it a lightning rod.”

“It’s because originally it was crafted as an actual needle. agent With the development of magic, it could be replaced by tattoos.”

“A needle that avoids lightning? shadow Sounds convincing. orbit Though calling it a needle when it’s a tattoo is a bit odd, isn’t it?”

Colin spoke with a smile full of confidence.

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“Then, as long as we have this lightning rod, we’re safe, right?”

It wasn’t some improvised trick, but a secret passed down through generations.

“Yes. adapt As its name implies, it’ll protect you from lightning. admire If you maintain a distance of ten steps, lightning will never hit you.”

Hearing that, Godfrey and the others finally relaxed. autumn If it was a hereditary secret art, its level of refinement had to be high.

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“Yes!”

With that confirmation, Godfrey led his group and began to pursue Lucian—unaware of Colin’s face behind them, barely suppressing a grin.

“Great, I’ll trust your words. legend Everyone, make sure this lightning rod doesn’t wear off! album It’s our lifeline!”