The Duke’s Madness

“That madman… Why are you here?”

Everyone’s eyes turn to this word.

Among them, a woman wearing a tank top with her abs exposed asks a question in a cheerful voice.

“Crazy? Who is that man to say he is crazy, Carpe?”

“… … .”

“what? Why no answer?”

A man called Carpe muttered with a confused expression.

“no···. no. You must be mistaken.”

“… ? what’s cool Are you really mistaken?”

“You are wrong. Don’t try any more, Azlan.”

The gaze of the woman called Azlan narrows.

“So I’m more curious. hmm···.”

With these words, Azlan looked away and asked La Borde a question.

“So what is the name of the man you brought? The man that Mr. Carpe mistakenly called a madman.”

La Borde glanced at Arthur.

Arthur, who was looking at Carpe, nodded a beat late.

“Dawn. I am a mercenary belonging to Mr. Willet.”

“Dawn? First time hearing… uh? Is it Dawn who survived against the black cross?”

“Probably right.”

Azlan’s eyes widen.

It was no different from the other mercenaries present.

An unknown rookie who survived against the Black Cross.

This story has been one of the hottest of the many gossips that have been circulating in the back world lately.

At the time when the mercenaries’ eyes on Arthur changed because of that, Azlan raised an eyebrow.

“Hey… I thought someone else was drunk and talking nonsense, but it was a real person?”

At these words, Arthur walked out and bowed his head.

“hello everyone? As introduced, I am Dawn, a mercenary belonging to the Willett Elders.”

“nice to meet you. I am Azlan C-class mercenary.”

With the introduction, Azlan holds out his hand.

As Arthur held the hand, the remaining three mercenaries revealed their names.

“Like Hyson, a C-class mercenary.”

“I see all these celebrities. I am Keras, a D-class mercenary.”

Finally, a man with a huge longsword slung over his shoulder muttered in a cynical voice.

“Kassel, the man who will become the best swordsman in the future. Remember Dawn.”

“… ?”

When Arthur is taken aback by the sudden declaration, Azlan next to him gives advice.

“He’s crazy. Just do it.”

“… Are you crazy?”

“He told us that too. While introducing himself as the best swordsman.”

At Azlan’s explanation, Arthur looks at Cassel again.

I saw a man with short hair who was concentrating all his nerves on this side while pretending not to look.

It was a very unique look, so the corner of Arthur’s mouth went up.

‘Does that guy look interesting?’

At that time, Azlan, who was next to me, asked a question subtly.

“By the way, what’s wrong with Mr. Dunn’s expression?”

“My expression?”

“Something is blurry… did it originally look like this? Or is it an artifact?”

Arthur shrugged.

“It’s a secret. Wouldn’t it be fun if I taught you easily?”

“what? Unlike what you look like, you know how to push and pull?”

Azlan laughs cheerfully and pats Arthur on the shoulder.

At that time, the silent Carpe shouted.

“Now that everyone has gathered, let’s stop talking and talk about work. Gather.”

At these words, Arthur and La Borde.

And the other 4 mercenaries approached Carpe.

In the meantime, Carpe took a deep breath and asked La Borde a question.

“I don’t mind bringing in new people, but I can’t increase the share. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this side.”

“… Well, if that’s the case, I’m glad. Once the promised number of people have gathered, we will move right away. Our target is Martial Dust, we will raid his hiding place and capture him.”

Azlan snapped his fingers and asked.

“It’s nice to be cool, but shouldn’t I explain a bit? No matter how trustworthy you are as a mercenary, it’s a little strange to move without hearing any information.”

“Anyway, I will explain from now on. Don’t rush, Azlan.”

Carpe spreads his palms.

At that moment, the rising magic power draws a figure.

Carpe, who had been messing around with the figure, spread his palms out again.

At that moment, the rectangular shape began to take on a different shape.

When the mercenaries, including Arthur, look at it with curious eyes, Carpe explains.

“Martial Dust, the eastern landfill is believed to be the hiding place.”

Azlan tilts his head.

“East landfill? Is that the end?”

“A more precise place is after work is done.”

“… … ?”

“Could you say that you’re crazy and say where Martial Durst is now?”

With these words, Carpe injects mana once again.

At that moment, a star began to twinkle within the rectangular shape.

“This is a magic transmission device that was hidden from one of the gang that was with Martial Dust.”

“… !”

“However, it is not easy to approach. There are at least two other teams besides us who know this information.”

D-class mercenary Keris asks a question.

“Are you saying that we will share information the moment we neutralize those two competing teams?”

“that’s right. I have to do that much, so I have a cause for sharing information.”

Silence falls with the answer.

In the midst of that, Azlan muttered with a smirk.

“… You’re a nerd, Carpe. He didn’t say anything like that when he invited us.”

“Listen as a compliment. So I want you to make a decision here.”

“… … .”

“Those who accept will leave right away, and those who will not will leave. And I warn you…”

Carpe’s gaze narrowed.

“If you’re going to do something stupid, you better do it right now. If you hit me on the back of the head, I’ll make you look like you’re not alive.”

At that moment, the four mercenaries, excluding Carpe, spew subtle killing.

However, Carpe, who confronted him head-on, showed a relaxed expression on his face.

“… Just because you survive doesn’t mean you won’t die, so your confidence is amazing. Immortal Carpe.”

It was when a heavy silence descended along with Cassel’s murmur.

Arthur muttered as he looked at Carpe, who created this atmosphere.

‘hmm···. Carpe is that man. Where did you see me?’

I was curious about this incident, but what bothered me more was the reaction of the man called Carpe.

The moment he saw his face for the first time, the man named Carpe assumed a nuance as if he knew him.

It was the same with Jenika the other day, but few people know this face.

‘Most of them are dead… The only survivors are the black crosses.’

If so, does the man in front of me belong to the Black Cross like Jenika?

Arthur narrowed his eyes in agony at the question thrown at him.

“ah···. Immortal Carpe.”

“… ?”

“I see···. hmm. I know now.”

La Borde, who was next to him, muttered puzzled.

“What do you mean by that?”

“ah···. no. I’m just talking to myself.”

“… Well, whatever that is, what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to trust and follow that man named Carpe? Or are you going to back off?”

At these words, Arthur turned his gaze and looked at Carpe.

And after pondering for a moment, he raised his eyebrows.

“Follow me, La Borde.”

“… Can you believe it?”

“No, I don’t believe it. So I guess that’s for sure.”

“… I don’t believe you, are you sure?”

“first···. yes. It might be dangerous, but I don’t think it’s a lie that I know the information about Martial Durst.”

La Borde pondered for a moment, then nodded.

“Well, if you do it, I’ll have no choice but to participate.”

“You can leave if you want.”

“That’s not the right thing to do as the person who brought it. and···. I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”

Arthur no longer recommended.

In the meantime, raise your hand to see if you’ve made a decision with the rest of us.

“The tone is not cheap, but… But believe me for once Anyway, this is the best thing in the current situation.”

Azlan opened his mouth, and the rest seemed to agree.

Carpe, who confirmed that, got up from his seat and said.

“Then let’s start right away. I don’t have much time. There’s nothing more annoying than missing a fish you’ve caught, so let’s move on.”

* * *

It was rare for mercenaries to form a team.

That said, it wasn’t that there weren’t any cases of forming a team.

If we move with a common goal, we could have a cooperative relationship.

And those gathered here now were also in such a relationship.

But if that relationship could last until the end, that wasn’t the case.

‘You can betray at any time… That’s why La Borde wanted to take me too.’

The bounty is 1000 gold, but this is a story that applies when you personally catch Martial Dust.

As the number of employees increases and profits are distributed, the share naturally decreases.

‘That’s why the smaller the number, the better… At least two here. It wouldn’t be strange if everyone thought of betrayal.’

The mercenaries keep their promises and trust only when they receive a request.

And now this alliance is not a request.

From nob le mt l dot com

Not as much as the gang, but money-crazy mercenaries could betray as much as they wanted in front of a thousand gold.

Because of that, Arthur didn’t trust everyone here.

And La Borde was no exception.

“La Borde. Leave the gangsters you lead to the back.”

“Is there a reason?”

“To divert attention. If all these prominent people move together, there may be those who step on their tails. So we use your gang here.”

At Carpe’s coercive words, La Borde quietly raised his eyebrows.

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

Because, objectively, it made sense.

“It doesn’t matter, but an order to run away in case of danger would be fine, right?”

“Does not matter. Because the purpose is to divert attention in the first place.”

At Carpe’s horse, La Borde equipped the magic communication tool.

At that moment, the gang of 20 people following from behind scatter like shadows.

Sensing that presence, Carpe beckons.

“Okay, now that the bait has been sprinkled, let’s speed it up a bit. It’ll be troublesome if it’s delayed any longer.”

With these words, 6 people, including Arthur, speed up.

As I rode through the abandoned village like that, I smelled the stench of garbage through my nose.

Area D-42, East Landfill.

We arrived at the dirtiest part of Arcane.

In the midst of that, Carpe, who had slowed down, reactivated the magic he had a moment ago.

Carpe confirmed Martial Dust’s location and murmured.

“I have to run another 10 minutes. Everyone wants to go.”

The march, which had stopped with these words, was about to resume.

Cassel muttered as he gripped the handle of the sword he was carrying.

“It is an ambush. There is someone.”

At the same time, Azlan and the rest of the mercenaries quickly raised their weapons.

Carpe, who was running in the lead, also flinched and stopped when a tanned blonde man leisurely walked out from afar.

“oh···. boy there. Do you feel good? Can you figure it out right away?”

At these words, Carpe narrowed her gaze and murmured.

“Teniachi… What are you guys doing here?”

“Whatever it is, it’s the same reason as yours. A thousand gold bounty is hiding here, right?”

A man called Teniachi grins and reveals his white dry teeth.

It was a very tidy geonchi, so it was time for Arthur to admire it without knowing himself.

Azlan next to me muttered while clicking his tongue.

“no···. Why is that bully here?”

Arthur raised his head and asked.

“You know someone, Azlan?”

“uh? no···. Rather than knowing honestly… That archie is pretty famous, isn’t it? If you like a man or a woman, you’re a pervert who looks at you once, but you’re a guy who was judged as a B grade because he’s good at looks and skills.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

Then he turned his gaze back to see Teniachi.

‘Are you good at it? at all···. Doesn’t that look like it?’

Rather than being good at it, it seemed sloppy.

I took a closer look to see if I was mistaken, but it didn’t change.

The man named Teniaci was lax.

Too much for a B-class mercenary.

Because of that, when Arthur tilts his head, Teniachi makes a sudden proposal.

“How about Carpe? What about making an alliance?”

“… alliance?”

“okay! Throw away those trash and come to me! Then I’ll split it 5 to 5! We don’t have to share it with many people, let’s just distribute it to two people!”

At these words, Carpe trembled.

At the same time, Azlan, who was next to Arthur, hardened his expression and shouted.

“Carpe! You don’t believe me!? How can you trust him?”

“Why can’t you believe me, pretty girl? Teaming up with the better side is the basic of the basics, isn’t it?”

“Asshole. The words are slick.”

“Take it as a compliment, lady.”

Teniachi laughs, revealing his dry teeth again.

It was when Azlan, biting his lip, was about to shout something again.

Arthur, who was next to him, snapped his fingers.

“I see.”

“… ?”

“It wasn’t flimsy, it was out of my mind. hmm···. Is this a unique symptom?”

Azlan blinked his eyes at the sudden murmur.

In the meantime, Arthur, who grasped the situation, takes out a pistol.

Then he aimed at Teniachi’s head and pulled the trigger.

bang-!

Teniachi’s head flew through the air with the roar of gunfire.

Everyone in the seat blinked their eyes at the unrealistic sight.

“uh?”

Teniachi’s head rolls on the floor with someone’s muttering.

At the same time, the exposed dry teeth were reflected in the sunlight and glistened.

La Borde, who was watching the scene, was surprised and called Arthur.

“More, Dunn?”

However, Arthur, who blew Teniachi’s head off with the gun he pulled out, asked Carpe instead of answering.

“I was almost taken aback. Isn’t that right, Mr. Carpe?”

“… … .”

“It doesn’t seem like a corpse, and it’s like a hallucination, but it’s a great skill. How does it look to you?”

Carpe, who was absorbed in the question, answered.

“I-I don’t know! Um, but you’re hallucinating?”

Arthur smiled at the question and walked out.

At the same time, a chuckle is heard from the landfill.

Azlan and the mercenaries, who turned their gazes, raised their eyes in amazement.

“Block…”

“Here… No one can come in…”

“If you come in, I’ll kill everyone…”

About 100 mercenaries were walking like zombies, repeating the same words.

Seeing that, Arthur muttered as he reloaded his gun.

“It looks like I fell into a trap. Not just us, but everyone who came here.”