The Duke’s Madness

Willett looks away.

I saw Dawn leaning against the window.

His features were blurry due to the effect of the artifact, and because of that, his expression was unpredictable.

‘no. Even if it wasn’t an artifact, I wouldn’t have been able to control his expression.’

The mercenary in front of him was quite unique.

From the first meeting until now, he has been doing things outside of common sense.

Just looking at the requests he had been taking on right now, he was quite far from ordinary mercenaries.

However, if that was the bad side, that wasn’t it either.

In any case, he accomplished his mission admirably, and by Willett’s standards, he was a pretty good mercenary.

To be honest, I couldn’t help but admire that he kept his place until the end, especially when the black cross invaded.

‘If you can believe that… That’s not it either.’

If you stay on this floor for a long time, you will meet all kinds of people.

Among them were legendary black magicians and blood-crazed sword masters.

And the mercenary named Dawn in front of him was like that.

Willet tapped his fingers, recalling what he had been told a few days ago.

‘Not yet···. It wouldn’t hurt to watch a little more. At least it hasn’t caused any trouble so far.’

Willet finished his thoughts with a murmur and raised his head.

* * *

Area B-32, the outermost of the private residential areas.

Among them, some Saien was in a redevelopment area where people did not go in and out.

Athena Orphanage was located at the beginning of this redevelopment area, but it is said that it has arrived at its destination.

As I prepare to get out of the car with my thoughts, the silent Arthur opens his mouth.

“Ah, you’re all here, Mr. Willett.”

“… … .”

“I was confused because it’s been a while, but I remembered it when I came close. If you go around this way, isn’t it the Athena Orphanage?”

Willett answered the question while hiding his expression.

“yes. They say you’re from Athena Orphanage, so you really know the way.”

“It’s not now, but it’s a place where the connection is pretty deep.”

At Arthur’s answer, Willet murmured to himself.

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Not now, but the relationship is pretty deep, right?

Doesn’t that mean you’re not from Athena Orphanage?

But I didn’t bother to open my mouth to ask.

Meanwhile, the car stopped, and Arthur and Willett opened the door and got out.

Arthur stretched out and walked out without hesitation.

Willett followed quietly behind him, revealing a huge mansion with a pretty garden.

Arthur stopped and knocked lightly on the door of the mansion.

An employee combing the yard comes up and asks a question.

“What did you come for… ah! Old Willett!”

A smiling employee opens the door.

Willet, standing behind Arthur, narrowed his gaze.

“Even if I’m behind you, what if you open the door like that?”

“oh···. sorry.”

“It’s not a matter of being sorry. From now on, never do that.”

At Willett’s words, the employee was at a loss.

In the meantime, Arthur recalled old memories and moved on.

‘There is no change here. It’s the same as it was back then.’

The time when he was kicked out of the Duke’s family and wandered the continent.

Arthur, naturally imbued with Arcane, healed his dying body here.

‘To be precise, I recuperated… It was thanks to the lineage that the poisoned body was cured.’

So it was a meaningful place in many ways.

If it wasn’t for Willet, if it weren’t for this place, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Arthur, who recalled that old memory, raised his head.

From afar, he saw Julie, hardened as he looked at him.

“Dawn… mister?”

“Hello Julie?”

At the greeting, Julie rushes over and hugs Arthur.

Arthur asked as he hugged Julie.

“How are you, Julie?”

“yes. But why are you here so late?”

“hmm? Didn’t you come sooner? It’s been a month since I came.”

“late. I thought you’d be back in a week.”

At the grumbling, Arthur burst out laughing.

In the meantime, the other children who had discovered Arthur also approached with their eyes raised.

“uh···. mister?”

“hello everyone?”

The children hesitantly came to Julie’s side.

Arthur stroked the heads of those children and asked a question.

“Everyone looks good, doesn’t it? Is the rice good here?”

“yes···. it is delicious.”

“There are a lot of sheep!”

“Give me some meat! I even ate steak the other day!”

Arthur nodded and sat down.

The children who were experimented on by Ares Arekis gather around him.

Arthur studied the children’s expressions carefully.

Joy, embarrassment, sadness, joy.

Various emotions were seen on the children’s faces.

‘If I had known it would be like this, would I have come a little sooner?’

It was when Arthur, who was scratching his head, was about to have a conversation like that.

About 10 children who escaped from the nursery school find Arthur belatedly and shout.

“uh?”

“mister!”

Arthur raises his head and raises the corner of his mouth.

“oh···. How have you all been?”

“yes! Long time no see!”

With these words, other children run after them.

They were the children of District D who almost got trafficked by Hazes, but they seemed to be doing well so far.

And they were more active than the children of Ares Arekis.

“uncle Uncle! Why are you here so late!”

“tooth···. You said you would come back then, but you broke your promise!”

“mister! The head of the nursery school says that you are a great mercenary!”

Arthur is a little taken aback by the endless stream of questions.

The children from Ares Arekis, who had been waiting for that appearance, frowned slightly.

“hey! Take your turn! We came first!”

The children on the side of Hajes, who were looking at Arthur, turn their heads.

And without blinking his eyes, he shouted.

“What is he saying now! We haven’t seen each other in longer!”

“What does that matter! We came first, so you should talk to us first!”

“Your uncle will be more than happy to welcome us! Isn’t that right, mister?”

The children who were arguing with the question turned their heads.

Arthur hurriedly raises his hand in an unexpected situation.

“everyone? No matter how much I like it, fighting is a little…”

Pajijik-!

“… ?”

Arthur, who stopped the fight with the sudden surge of electricity, and the children who tried to fight to occupy Arthur were surprised and shut up.

In the meantime, Julie, who has awakened her lineage ability, warns in a cool voice.

“I’m first, so everyone follow the order.”

“… … .”

“What are you doing? I am not going there.”

The children step back.

Arthur said without hiding his admiration.

“Julie? Did you learn how to handle bloodline abilities?”

“Your nursery school teacher taught me. It’s still just static electricity like this, but…”

“Isn’t that great enough? At that age, I couldn’t even do that.”

Julie grinned.

Arthur stroked Julie’s hair and asked the question again.

“By the way, is Julie the captain here?”

“A captain?”

“I think all the kids are paying attention to Julie?”

“… I’m not the captain, but if there’s a fight or argument, I’ll mediate.”

Julie muttered these words as if embarrassed, and was hugged by Arthur.

It was when Arthur burst out laughing at the sight that reminded him of Irene in many ways.

At some point, Willet, who had approached me, muttered as if it were absurd.

“What are you teaching your child?”

“yes?”

“We need to be careful about raising bloodline abilities. Why are you praising it?”

Arthur’s eyes widened, and Julie retorted with a slight voice.

“Uncle Willett. Why are you angry with Mr. Dunn?”

“What’s wrong is wrong, Julie. If you threaten with power because you have power, that karma will come back someday. Go and apologize to your friends.”

Julie flinched at Willett’s cool voice and looked at Arthur.

Arthur scratched his head and replied.

“Um, Julie? That’s right. If you use your power carelessly, you’ll get into trouble… So go ahead and apologize and play again. How is it?”

Julie ponders for a moment before getting up from her seat.

Then he approached the children and bowed his head to apologize.

Arthur, who was watching the scene, got up from his seat and said to Willet.

“Everybody seems to be doing well.”

“It’s a problem because you’re doing so well. The head of the orphanage said he would die.”

“Kids are like that, okay?”

“… It’s true, but since you said that, something is wrong.”

Willet muttered these words shyly and pointed to the restaurant.

“Eat while you’re here and go. How is it?”

Arthur answered with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s good. Let’s go, Mr. Willett.”

* * *

It was after sunset when Arthur and Willett left the orphanage.

Even after dinner, they chatted for a while, but the children couldn’t hide their regret.

Among them, Julie looked at Arthur with an almost crying expression.

“… Uncle Dunn, when are you coming again?”

“I do not know. I’m busy with many things these days.”

“Young-young…. You’re not coming, are you?”

“Why am I not coming? I will definitely come back.”

“Really?”

“yes. Next time, um… I’ll teach you about Julie bloodline abilities. Julie has talent, so if you learn a little, you will be able to handle it well.”

Julie tries to nod her head.

But I couldn’t hide the tears in my eyes.

Arthur wiped away the tears and stroked Julie’s hair.

“See you next time, Julie. I’m fine during that time.”

After saying goodbye, Arthur approached Willett.

The children left in the nursery stood and watched until Arthur disappeared.

By the time Arthur is no longer visible, a child murmurs.

“Uncle Dunn… I wanted to say thank you for saving me… I couldn’t because I was ashamed.”

At this, some children nodded their heads in sympathy.

I couldn’t express it, but the children were clearly aware of it.

The fact that Arthur saved them from almost losing their lives.

So I was very happy when Arthur came, but it was a completely different story to fully convey that heart.

“Something difficult, right?”

“that’s right···. difficult.”

“It’s not easy to say thank you.”

Julie turns her gaze to the children’s whispers.

And I said to my sullen friends.

“Try it next time you come.”

Julie raised the corners of her mouth like Arthur.

“I’m sure you will like it. Uncle Dunn… I’m more shy than I look.”

* * *

no return car.

Arthur and Willett fell into their own thoughts.

However, neither of them felt particularly uncomfortable.

It was when the limousine, which had been running in such an awkward but comfortable atmosphere, exited area B.

Willett’s jacket trembled.

“… By the way, can I call you?”

Arthur nodded.

“yes. If you don’t mind listening to it, it doesn’t matter if you say it.”

“Don’t tell me where to go. what···. Looking at the person who contacted me, it doesn’t really matter if I tell them.”

With these words, Willett put a magic communicator on his ear.

“I have been contacted. So how is it going?”

There was a lot of conversation about the question.

Willet, who had been receiving information for a while in the midst of it, muttered with a somewhat excited expression.

“You finally got a position? Area D-42 must be an abandoned village. The bigger the bounty, the more armed conflict might break out. If you think you can’t do it, remove the liver, and if you think you can catch it, try it boldly. okay···. I’ll call you back later.”

With these words, Willett turned off the power of the magic communication sphere, and Arthur, who was watching, asked a question.

“Looks like a request, Mr. Willett.”

“Okay, order. The most attention-grabbing request these days.”

Arthur tilted his head.

“The most attention-grabbing request? Could the commission attract attention?”

“It was directly requested by city officials.”

“A city official?”

“It’s not just companies or the underworld that need power. Ironically, it is the city officials who make the most requests for our brokers and mercenaries.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes and let out an exclamation.

“Are you trying to catch a wanted criminal?”

“that’s right. Would you like to read it?”

Willet pulls out something from his chest and hands it to me.

It was a flyer, but Arthur opened his eyes while reading the contents.

“uh···. Isn’t this bounty wrong?”

“No, you are not wrong. The amount of 1000 gold you are looking at is correct.”

Arthur exclaimed.

‘If 1000 gold is the amount you get only when you do something really ridiculous, even based on the mercenaries’ request… This thing hung around the neck of a wanted criminal?’

You would have to be a mass murderer to get this amount.

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Not a killer who killed dozens, but a killer who killed hundreds.

Because of that, Arthur is the narrow-eyed man depicted in the wanted criminal.

It was time to look at Martial Durst with interest.

Willett, who was sitting next to him, asked a question.

“You seem to agree.”

“… hmm. To be honest, I’m curious. What on earth do I have to do to get a bounty of 1000 gold?”

“It doesn’t matter if I tell you, but you have to accept the request to hear the story.”

“… It’s a public request. Elder Willett.”

“Just because it’s an open request doesn’t mean my principles will change. If you want to hear the contents of the request, accept the request. I hate wasting time on useless things.”

Arthur made a grunting sound.

But Willet, with his arms crossed, did not budge.

Seeing that, Arthur shook his head, realizing that Willett really had no intention of telling him.

‘Looking at it at a time like this, it’s really inflexible.’

Arthur agonizes with his thoughts.

Unlike other quests, the wanted bounty quest didn’t have a time limit.

It was because of the specificity of the request, because catching the hidden criminals was not easy.

‘That’s why this kind of request is not an individual, but a group… I decided to give a bounty to the one who catches it first.’

So it was a concern.

It was because there was time left just in time, and if it was a wanted bounty quest with a specific location, there was nothing wrong with participating at least once.

‘Even if you fail, there is no risk… If it succeeds, it’s a jackpot.’

Because of the 500 gold I recently paid to the genie, it was my usual situation that was not very good.

Of course, if he told his mother, he would fill the 500 gold at once, but Arthur didn’t bother.

‘All I need is money from an unknown source… That way, I can use it whenever I want, and I can’t be tracked.’

In that sense, the amount of 1,000 gold was frankly ridiculous.

There are few things in Arcane that money can’t do.

‘hmm···. 1,000 gold if successful. If you fail, you’ll be fine with that. I don’t think it would be bad to decide on the liver.’

Having made up his mind, Arthur nodded.

“I’ll take it, Mr. Willett. Please explain.”

“You say you don’t intend to work for a while?”

“Tomorrow is your day off, right? Thanks to you, I have some time left.”

Willett looks at Arthur for a moment, then pulls out another document.

After Arthur accepts the document, Willett explains.

“Martial Dust. He is a spy.”

“yes? Are you a spy?”

“Yes, Spy. It also seems to be quite a giant.”

Arthur raises his eyes.

“A spy hiding in the imperial family. This request… okay. It’s a request from the Imperial Family, not the Arcane City Council. It sounds like the emperor intervened.”