Volume 6, Chapter 124: The Pillager and the Songstress’ Silly Words
Volume 6, Chapter 124: The Pillager and the Songstress’ Silly Words
Two wheels governed the mercenary city of Belfein. One of them was the Steel Princess Vestaline Gon. It was no exaggeration to say that her horrifying rule upheld the security of the city.
The other wheel was her father, Mordeaux Gon.
The current Lord of Belfein. Mordeaux was a masterpiece that made the city of Belfein prosper into a huge city with numerous mercenaries.
Despite his achievements, Mordeaux’s appearance was terribly dull.
Mordeaux had a plump body, whose flesh began to deteriorate. His face with bloated lips was not very neat. His plump body was small, and both arms, which were supposed to be muscular in the era of mercenaries, were now like the arms of a fat merchant whose muscles completely vanished because of the obesity.
In terms of appearance alone, it seemed unlikely that people would have a good impression of Mordeaux. Rather, people felt that he relied on his servants to live since his obesity did not allow him to move freely.
However, his eyes were different.
Only his eyes stood out in his dull look. Mordeaux relied solely on his desires and ambitions. Therefore, he seized the position of the Lord of Belfein, or more precisely of the governor-general.
Mordeaux was not originally born as a noble, but he was not born poor either. He held a position that did not depend on either. He belonged to the middle-class. This reality shook Mordeaux’s way of life.
Like the nobles, his family did not have the position to take office and administer politics. On the other hand, his middle-class status hindered him from begging and living like a poor man.
At first, he aspired to be a shoemaker and thus belonged to a Guild, but he quit after hearing that he needed a proper position to become an artisan who could handle luxury goods.
Mordeaux’s eyes filled with great ambition ever since he was a young man. He desired what others possessed. This ambition dwelled in Mordeaux’s heart since his childhood.
In other words, he had the desire to be a mugger.
The noble people did not have such ambitions, because they were born as natural muggers. Yes, they were muggers because the law could not punish them due to their status. The rich robbed the poor, and these poor people had no other choice but to naturally accept this reality.
Mordeaux started his career as a mercenary because his ambitions and desires stirred his heart.
Speaking of mercenaries, it sounded like a good job, but most of them were no different from bandits and lowly thieves. Rather, the mercenary business was the sum of the rewards from the employer and from the plundered goods of attacked villages.
Mordeaux became a young mercenary during the dreadful era of war. An era where the second sons and third sons of rural families forced themselves to replace the hoe with the sword because their farming business no longer provided them food. Even though Mordeaux had no experience in fighting, it felt easy for him to become a mercenary instead.
Mordeaux remembered that when he became a mercenary, many looked down on him because of his dull appearance. Many ridiculed him and often bet to see when he would run away. When Mordeaux entered the battlefields, he took advantage of the pillagers and smashed his head on purpose. Yes, that’s right. Mordeaux often pretended to be killed in action in order to steal.
The mercenary business was Mordeaux’s newly found vocation.
He wanted to be a mugger. With that belief and tenacity, Mordeaux became the bravest on the battlefield. He robbed those on the front line earlier than anyone else did and began pillaging earlier than anyone else did.
If one thought about it, that time may have been the most brilliant time in Mordeaux’s life. During this period of his life, Mordeaux found a close friend through the mercenary business, and a woman who fell in love with him. A refreshing spring breeze must have blown into his heart during that time.
However, Mordeaux’s desire saw no boundaries.
His closest friend and his favorite woman died because of his desires. Did he regret it or not? Mordeaux still did not know.
After repeated betrayal and pillaging, Mordeaux succeeded as a mercenary, and before he knew it, he became the head of a mercenary organization. He gained a position and power, which eventually led him to steal the position of the Lord of the city.
Of course, there was good luck along the way. Nevertheless, Mordeaux’s unmistakable ambition was the big cause that made him reach that far.
Even so, the desire that dwelled in his eyes was constant. Rather, his eyes kept burning, as if he had thrown firewood to the never ending swirling fire in his heart.
「The great sinner… A man who looks very similar to Lugis, huh.」
In the living room of the Lord’s House, Mordeaux spoke out to his subordinates. It was not a suitable place to receive such reports, but he listened because it was urgent.
「Yes. Although the clothes were different, his face and physique were almost the same.」
The subordinates who answered the question were those who Mordeaux had great trust. In fact, Mordeaux had just a few people whom he trusted. As for the city itself, there was no man better than his commander, who often inspected the city to bring order. The role of the commander belonged to his daughter Vestaline.
Moreover, an urgent report. It meant crucial information. Yes, an information with a certain degree of certainty. Mordeaux’s thick fingers rubbed his lips.
Thoughts swirled through Mordeaux’s mind. Would the so-called right-man of the Heraldic Order infiltrate Belfein now?
There was no doubt that the great sinner Lugis was in the center of the Heraldic Order. Mordeaux believed that Lugis was probably familiar with the letter he addressed to Garoua Maria from Belfein. If so, then this land would not be an easy place to step in. It would be like stepping into a place of death.
However, Mordeaux also knew from his experience as a mercenary that there were rare people who did not fit the regular standards. Even though Lugis was someone important to the Heraldic Order, Mordeaux knew there were weirdos in the world who drove their own horses to see the enemy territory. And for some reason, such people did not die.
「Keep observing him until you know the truth. If he is a fake, then it may be a trap released by the Heraldic Order in order to deceive us. You don’t have to rush.」
Although unlikely, there was a possibility that the Heraldic Order had sent a fake with a very similar look to deceive the Lord of Belfein. At least, this possibility seemed much higher than that of being the traitor himself.
That’s why Mordeaux thought it was not a good idea to deal with this matter with a hothead. A wrong step and it could lead to a complete hostile relationship with the Heraldic Order; even worse, the forces of the Heraldic Order could invade Belfein because of that wrong step.
For Mordeaux, the power of the Heraldic Order made it a worthy opponent, since Belfein was not the only place he wanted to possess. It could “bleed” too much if things were done rashly. He wanted to have less “bleeding” if possible. All he wanted was to maximize his results.
Therefore, before both cities became completely hostile, it was time to “break” either the witch or the great sinner, or even “break” these two corners of the Heraldic Order together. Until then, Mordeaux just had to hide his fangs and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Mordeaux grew old and lost the strength to engage in the front lines, but instead, he became cautious and cunning. Mordeaux felt that he was by no means inferior. He was old, yes. Most of his physical health declined with age. Yet, his perception was intact; otherwise, the younger men would have overtaken him already. Mordeaux thought, “If I am old, then I must learn how to fight accordingly.”
「And I want you to find anyone who has actually seen Lugis before. If so, then take that person with you…」
「…If so, then let me come. 」
Not only his subordinates, but also Mordeaux, shook their elbows upon hearing a gentle sound in their ears. The Lord moved his head toward the sound and smiled slightly.
Golden hair shining like the sun and clean skin soft as silk. The eyes were of the same color as the hair and attracted people in a profound way. This person’s appearance was not inferior to the sacred clothes she wore. She was the candidate to be a Saint, but her whole atmosphere was already that of a Saint.
This voice belonged to Ariene, the Songstress.
To be honest, it was not desirable for Belfein, who was falsely negotiating with the Heraldic Order, to welcome a person devoted to the Great Holy Church. Nobody knew in Belfein where the spies of the Heraldic Order were hiding. They could be listening and seeing everything from afar. If the Lord of Belfein did something wrong accidently, then all of his plans would fail.
However, with the revelation of God, and at the request of the candidate to be a Saint, Mordeaux had no way of refusing her presence.
Therefore, Ariene was welcomed to the Lord’s House as a private guest. Her presence remained hidden. At least, for now.
Ariene’s compassionate voice touched Mordeaux’s ears again.
「I will go myself. Unfortunately, I do not know who the witch is since I have never seen her before, but… My eyes know the appearance of the great sinner Lugis, whom I share a past connection.」
She professed such silly words, as if she were going to see a comedy herself.