I Married the Dragon I Killed

The sun finally tilted toward the west and night fell.

Leaving behind the refugee group led by William, Perda returned to the castle.

Perda sat on the sofa in the reception room and looked at the man seated in front of him.

There was Stephan.

The haggard appearance of someone cornered had faded a little, but his eyes were still empty and exhausted.

Perda looked at him and spoke.

“I have good news.”

“W-what kind of good news?”

Stephan asked with a nervous expression.

Perda slowly began explaining all the information he had gathered.

“Stephan, the mercenaries you hired had far more malicious intentions than we imagined.”

They were not third-rate mercenaries.

They were assassins specifically organized to create chaos.

They killed all the merchants and workers at the rendezvous point.

They rummaged through all the cargo and took part of the contents to make it look like a robbery.

“But turning it into a simple robbery carried too much risk.”

“Because of the anti-theft magic.”

As a merchant, Stephan understood that matter perfectly.

The anti-theft magic placed on valuable items.

The moment someone touched them, they would be marked as criminals, and for assassins that was the worst possible situation.

To make it look like a robbery, the valuables had to disappear.

But if the treasures did not disappear, that ironic incident only made it even more obvious that it was murder.

“That’s why two mercenaries laid the groundwork.”

“What do you mean?”

“They must have forced open and broken the boxes containing the valuables to take some things out.”

“Even so, the tracking magic would have reacted, so why would they do something so stupid…?”

“Those men were probably caught in a trap as well. Maybe they were not given all the information, or perhaps they were used to purge the greediest ones.”

Stephan understood his words and nodded slightly.

“Then taking out those valuables was the foundation for something… but for what exactly?”

Perda moved another piece.

It was a pawn.

“The foundation for involving the refugees in the looting.”

Refugees trembling from the cold at the very beginning of winter.

Since those mercenaries came from the Empire, they surely already knew that refugees were heading toward the far east searching for hope.

They found the group led by William.

Exactly as planned, they tempted them by saying they would give them food and offered them a small ray of hope.

“The refugees had no choice but to head there. After all, they needed food immediately.”

Even if it had been a lie, for starving people it was impossible information to ignore, so they hurried there.

And the place they arrived at was not a generous distribution center, but the scene of a brutal massacre.

“They only needed the refugees to stir the table that had already been prepared.”

Perda lightly moved his index finger as he spoke about the refugees.

“What would they have seen? Food, weapons, and golden treasures they would probably only see once in their entire lives. Things they immediately needed, things they desired, and things they could never possess no matter how long they lived.”

It was practically like stepping into a temple of desire.

Stephan could imagine how that plan worked.

That way, the murder would transform into a robbery case by using the refugees as tools.

Since most of the looting was carried out by the refugees, naturally everyone would think they were the culprits and exterminate them.

No one would bother chasing the remnants of the group.

Because the exemplary punishment would already have been enough.

However, there was something strange.

That was precisely the main point of the entire story.

Everything that had happened so far was murder disguised as robbery.

And that meant everything they had tried before had failed.

“Then the refugees did not touch the jewelry.”

“There was a variable.”

Perda nodded.

“No one could have predicted it. No, the odds were too absurd to even include in their calculations. It was like being struck by lightning under a clear sky.”

Perda placed a knight piece next to the tilted pawn.

“There was a knight leading that group. A man determined to uphold his convictions.”

William.

That man who could have become a knight understood duty and righteousness perfectly.

He looked at the gold before him as though it were mere stones.

He gathered the corpses and prayed for them.

Even though he took some supplies, he only took the bare minimum needed to survive, and all within the limit of one Golden.

It was something that could be overlooked.

“Thanks to that, we were able to confirm with certainty that this was murder.”

That was the conclusion of all the events discovered so far.

And naturally, the next question arose.

“Then… who ordered that murder?”

“The most likely suspect is this man.”

Perda handed him a personnel document from the Pascal company.

“A man named Frank Fontaine, the only missing merchant among the twelve.”

“Frank Fontaine…”

Upon hearing that name, Stephan immediately frowned.

“It seems you did not like him very much.”

“He has worked here for ten years and always complained about not being able to become a branch manager, saying he was still stuck doing coachman work.”

“And what was the reason?”

“It’s nothing complicated. He simply had poor results. He just did not have aptitude as a merchant.”

Stephan clenched his teeth as he looked at the document.

“Several times he acted like an arrogant old man and we clashed quite a lot. I even thought about firing him, but in the end I let it slide.”

“Why?”

“He had five children.”

“How soft.”

“Yes… I know.”

Rumble—

The personnel document crumpled in his hands.

“That bastard… ordered the deaths of eleven of my merchants…?”

A little compassion.

Did this entire disaster happen because that weak compassion ended up costing other families their lives?

“Not exactly.”

Perda shook his head.

“I am certain Frank Fontaine is involved, but he cannot be the true mastermind.”

“Can you tell me why you are so certain?”

Perhaps it was too bold a question, but Stephan needed something that could convince him.

“According to the report, aside from the refugees’ tracks, traces of twelve people moving around the area were found. That means thirty-two mercenaries participated in this murder, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Even calculating generously, the stolen loot would barely amount to 200 Golden. If thirty-two people split it equally, each would receive approximately 3 Golden and 25 Shillings.”

3 Golden and 25 Shillings was quite a lot of money.

But it was far too little for work stained with blood.

“If they were merely cheap mercenaries, I could understand it. But these men were experts at erasing their tracks. Do you know how much those types usually charge?”

“I don’t.”

“At minimum, they charge 50 Golden per person just to begin. Even calculating cheaply, together it easily exceeds 1,000 Golden.”

“Then with Frank’s financial situation, even if he gathered everything he owned, he could never have afforded such a sum.”

Stephan placed Frank’s personnel file on the table.

“If there truly is someone behind this trying to destabilize me, then what kind of damned bastards are they…?”

“That is precisely the good news.”

Perda reached into the inner pocket of his coat.

“We were able to identify the culprit.”

He took something out and placed it on the table.

It was a green scarf.

The item the little refugee boy had picked up.

“That is…”

Stephan recognized it instantly.

“It’s an item from my brother’s company employees. Why do you have it, Regent?”

“One of the refugee children said he saw one of those involved drop the scarf.”

“Then… the culprit…? the culprit is…?”

Stephan could not continue.

But both he and Perda knew perfectly well what name was about to come out in that conversation.

The shock finally made him drop the cup he was holding.

Crash—

The cup shattered and its contents spilled, but he did not even pay attention to it.

And Perda ignored that triviality as well.

Stephan covered his face with both hands.

He did not even know what expression he was making at that moment.

“…Are you sure?”

“That seems to be the case.”

Stephan extended his hand and picked up the scarf.

His pupils, constricted from the shock, slowly traced the embroidery.

His gaze fixed on the Pascal family emblem.

And behind it, two crossed swords.

He checked it several times, but there was no mistake.

It was not a counterfeit.

It belonged to the Pascal Mercenary Company.

“My brother’s company…” Stephan muttered as he looked at the scarf.

“There is a saying about signing contracts with the Pascal Mercenary Company. Do you know it?”

“No.”

“Once you sign with them, you can never leave.”

An empty smile appeared on Stephan’s face.

But it soon twisted.

It seemed as though all the emotions swirling inside his head were escaping directly through his expressions.

“They say that once a contract with the Pascal Mercenary Company ends, the bandit groups that had stayed quiet immediately begin attacking caravans. As if someone deliberately tipped them off.”

Stephan’s voice trembled slightly.

“It always seemed strange to me. The first trade expedition after ending a contract almost always ended badly. Either they were ambushed, or the mercenaries themselves turned into bandits, or they simply fled. Eight out of ten ended up suffering some kind of disaster, and seven of those eight eventually returned to sign with my brother again.”

“Do you think all of that was staged by Merchit?”

“There’s a saying. Necessity creates demand. And in the security business, you need to make the customer feel that necessity.”

Stephan remembered the recent conflict he had with Merchit.

He himself had said it.

That he would see how long Stephan could survive without him.

But this went far beyond simple rumors about attacks.

It was something far crueler.

Those people were practically family to Stephan.

There were superiors who were like parents, subordinates who were like younger siblings, and colleagues who were like friends.

And Merchit took their lives away.

Just because Stephan dared to stand against him.

The scarf in Stephan’s hands crumpled.

He shut his eyes tightly and bit his lips.

It hurt.

He wanted to cry, but no tears came out.

He wanted to scream, but his throat closed up.

It hurt so much it felt like he was going insane, and not knowing what to do with that pain only made the frustration even worse.

It was then.

Ruri entered the room and stood beside Perda.

“Lord Perda. A visitor has arrived.”

“At this hour?”

His eyes shifted toward Stephan, who was still clutching his head.

“Yes. He specifically wishes to see both Mister Stephan and you, Lord Perda.”

“M-me?”

“Who is it?”

The name that came from Ruri’s mouth left both of them stunned.

“He said his name is Merchit Pascal.”

***

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Regent.”

Merchit Pascal sat across from Perda in the reception room and greeted him.

As Perda observed the two brothers, he could not help but think something.

‘Does the same blood really run through their veins?’

Stephan had smooth skin and a refined appearance.

Like a proper merchant, he radiated wealth, and looked like the type of model student who would even leave the imprint of a huge peach-like backside on a chair.

But Merchit was completely different.

Tanned skin and a short, rough regent cut.

A thick neck and broad shoulders.

Even though he wore a formal uniform, the threatening outline of his muscles made him look like the leader of a criminal gang.

If not for the fact they shared the same hair and eye color, no one would have believed they were brothers.

“Welcome, Sir Merchit.”

“Sir? I’m merely a lowly commander who leads a few subordinates.”

Merchit smiled awkwardly while pretending to be humble.

He gave off a bold energy completely different from the typical entrance of a ruthless villain.

Perda could feel it clearly.

That man still did not know he had become a suspect.

No, he acted as if he could not even imagine they might suspect him.

“I heard my little brother has been going through a difficult time, so I came looking for him and ended up all the way at the castle. Thank you for receiving us at such a late hour.”

“It’s nothing. When things become difficult, seeking out family is not such a bad thing either.”

After exchanging a few trivial words, Merchit turned his gaze toward Stephan.

Stephan’s eyes were ice cold.

Without noticing—or pretending not to notice—Merchit tried to comfort him.

“Stephan. I heard what happened. They say the eastern trade caravan was destroyed.”

“……”

“It’s truly unfortunate. I know how loyal those boys were to you. The emptiness they left behind must feel enormous.”

“……”

“For now, I already sent people to inform the families. We will also handle the funerals. First, try to calm yourself.”

His words sounded like those of the best brother in the world.

But that only applied to those who did not know the truth behind them.

Stephan was neither blind nor deaf.

He was someone who saw, heard, and thought.

And because of that, he knew perfectly well what hid behind that shameless facade.

“Truly… how shameless of you.”

“Hm?”

Indignation boiled inside Stephan, yet he still managed to speak calmly.

“You sent people to murder them all… so why are you acting like a good person?”

“……What?”

One of Merchit’s eyebrows slowly rose.

And the spark inside Stephan’s heart began to burn violently.