“Ha, Basto... how the hell did you end up here....”

Cal staggered where he stood.

The cheek that had taken the blow throbbed and burned.

Ever since the incident in Ban Anla village, the hostile bond between him and Basto had stretched on so long it had become almost unbreakable.

“I kept wondering... when and where I’d run into you again.”

Basto stepped forward, and a thick shadow fell over Cal’s head.

“Y-you... how did you get here? You were...!”

“Shut up. Before I beat you to death.”

At that very moment, a chill pressed beneath Cal’s throat.

He flinched and lowered his gaze. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

A woman with an elegant appearance had placed a dagger against his neck.

“Do you even understand how much we suffered in the Capital because of you? We had to scrape together every piece of gold our Squad Leader had just to clean up the mess you made.”

The woman ground her teeth, as if the mere thought was enough to drown her in fury.

While she held the dagger in place, the old man standing behind her approached Governor Marianne.

“Greetings, Lady Weybril.”

Those words made everyone gathered there flinch.

Not all of them might have known the governor’s name—Marianne—but everyone had heard of the Weybril family.

And no wonder. The house of Marquis Weybril was among the five wealthiest families of the Empire.

“Why is such a noble lady standing in the rain?”

At the old man’s voice, Marianne drew in a short breath.

The tavern owner, Rudy, hurried forward.

“Oh, please forgive the discourtesy! Please, come inside.”

Marianne cast one last heavy look at Cal and stepped into the tavern.

Basto, Tie, and Nordix followed after her.

Only when all four disappeared inside did Bale remove the dagger from Cal’s throat.

“You. Don’t even think about running. Stand here and wait. When our Squad Leader comes out—you’re dead.”

With those words, he too went inside, following the others from Agavert.

Cal stared blankly at the door Bale had vanished through and frowned.

Squad Leader?

Had that bastard Basto really created his own mercenary squad after all?

“That’s the King of the Dead, right?”

But then excited whispers reached his ears.

“Yes. They say it’s all just a disguise.”

“A disguise? So—magic?”

“He’s an archmage. If he commands the dark attribute, necromancy, what would be impossible for him?”

“And the incident at the Gate, where he summoned skeletons? Is that true?”

“Of course! At Jester they were saying he didn’t just summon them at the Gate. He also suppressed the medium and small Magic Stones in the Tenebraum cave all at once.”

“No way... That’s why? Yesterday at the tavern I saw it—inside the squad his position is unbelievable! Even Basto was practically walking on tiptoe around him!”

Cal’s face gradually hardened.

But the surrounding mercenaries did not notice the anger boiling inside him.

“And what about yesterday? They say someone saw the King of the Dead crying while walking down the street?”

“It’s a trap! He’s a serious weirdo—sometimes he pretends to be a real child. If you approach to help, he robs you of your mind with some disgusting magic.”

“Robs you of your mind...?”

“Hallucinations?”

“His tastes are awful! And Tesetan’s the same. Why are all the strong ones completely insane?”

“I envy Basto. Where did he even find such an outstanding Squad Leader?”

“They say Agavert will soon enter the top ten.”

“If only they’d suppress that Magic Stone in the sea too. Then we’d see.”

“By the way. If it’s Agavert, wouldn’t they be able to suppress that one as well?”

One of the mercenaries pointed at a black elongated silhouette rising from the water.

Through the mist and the sheets of rain, it was still clearly visible.

It was a Magic Stone.

“I doubt it. Even at a glance—it’s medium class. And we have no idea °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° what Magical Beasts might emerge from it.”

“Right. There’s no reason for a new squad to take that kind of risk.”

“Shut up!”

Cal suddenly shouted sharply.

The mercenaries stared at him in shock.

“King of the Dead? Agavert? Don’t make me laugh.”

His body trembled.

“An old man, a young woman, and some lunatic pretending to be a child will suppress that Magic Stone? Don’t make me laugh!”

Jealousy and hatred flared in his eyes.

“Watch carefully. I, Cal, will prove it’s all just rumors. I’ll suppress that Magic Stone myself!”

At those words, the members of Des Hound flinched.

“S-Squad Leader... but that’s never been done. We don’t even know the level of danger...”

“Shut up! If you’re such cowards—get lost! I’m not holding you back.”

Everyone fell silent.

Cal, frowning, stared at the Magic Stone rising from the sea.

“...All the better. I’ll raise my ranking while I’m at it.”

Since the days when he and Basto had served in Des Hound, he had always been the Squad Leader.

But Basto’s fame had invariably overshadowed him.

Arrogant bastard. Who does he think he is? Why does everyone notice him more than me?

Before Ban Anla village had turned to ashes, that fool had always smiled kindly at Cal.

Unaware of the thoughts maturing inside his head.

He should have quit mercenary work after his family died—or gone off and died somewhere.

As time passed, it became harder and harder to quietly claim the credit Basto earned.

So Cal decided.

Even if it meant spending a large sum, he would completely bury him in this profession.

But...

The holy knights. Was the money I gave them not enough?

Since they took the bribe, they should have kept him from entering the Gate!

Cal ground his teeth as he looked at the tavern where Basto had disappeared.

“They say Agavert will soon enter the top ten.”

Enter the top ten? Don’t make me laugh.

Des Hound, which he led, was in the top ten.

And he had no intention of sharing that place with some pack of brats.

“Lekar. Come here.”

He called quietly.

The Deputy Squad Leader, Lekar, approached.

“Listen carefully. If those brats suggest suppressing the medium Magic Stone together with us...”

Meanwhile, inside the tavern.

“Governor, are you all right?”

Marianne raised her head.

She had been clutching her handkerchief so tightly it was completely wrinkled.

“...Forgive me. What was I saying?”

Nordix smiled gently.

“We were asking whether any reply had arrived from the Imperial Palace.”

Marianne shook her head heavily.

“My adjutant sent an urgent report. But a reply will take time. As you can see...”

Her gaze drifted once more to the window, where thunder and lightning rumbled.

The wind strengthened, the rain lashed harder.

Raul and Enzo... their ship didn’t capsize, did it?

Marianne prayed inwardly.

Let the ship carrying Raul and Enzo have already reached the dock.

Let the twins have safely disembarked and returned to the governor’s office.

“G-Governor.”

At that moment, a small child’s voice dispelled her thoughts.

She looked up.

Opposite her sat a little girl.

Platinum curls, soaked by the rain.

Green eyes shining with worry.

“G-Governor, your face looks very s-sea-sad...”

“What kind of sadness is that...?”

“There’s someone out in the sea? Your eyes keep looking there.”

Marianne’s lips pressed together.

Her heart pounded loudly, her breathing unsteady.

“I... I...”

In truth, her vision was darkening.

Her hands and legs trembled.

With each breath, her head spun more fiercely.

But all this time she kept repeating to herself:

Everything will be fine. My sons will be fine. I just have to do my duty.

Otherwise she would not endure.

Raul and Enzo are not in danger. Not in danger.

They truly aren’t in danger.

She remembered the day misfortune had struck her husband.

It had been the same then.

When she thought he might die, when she finally realized the seriousness of the situation...

That was when the notice of his death arrived.

Marianne’s hand trembled convulsively.

Her straight posture slowly collapsed.

“I...”

One thought was forming more clearly in her mind.

Raul and Enzo will return dead as well.

At the very moment she rises to search for them.