Lord of Caldera-Chapter 320 - Mercenary
"What about the battle? Was it the same as before?"
"Yes, Your Excellency. The count himself charged the vanguard and shattered the gates."
"That madman."
Conrad clasped his head in his hands, muttering curses laced with frustration. Sieges were supposed to be about leveraging the strength of the walls. But this new count had turned that notion on its head. Every battle, he would storm ahead and break the gates, rendering the walls useless.
"Is there truly no way to stop him?"
"My apologies, Your Excellency."
"Apologies won't cut it. Give me a solution!" Conrad's growl was closer to a plea than an order.
Ervin's face stiffened as he replied, "There may be a way. No matter how monstrous his strength, he is still human. If we attack from all sides relentlessly, he would eventually reach his limit."
Ervin's assessment was correct. Outside of using poison, assassination, or pitting him against another ancient bloodline, overwhelming force was one of the few ways to eliminate someone like that.
However, this option wasn't feasible at the moment.
"The problem," Ervin continued, "is that he's not alone. Even if we could focus all our attacks on him, he commands an army—even if it is a motley crew. We can't strike his back freely. And most importantly…"
"He's not the only monster," Conrad muttered, finishing the thought.
"Damn it, dealing with one is already overwhelming. But three? It's like living in a nightmare."
There was the son of the legendary mercenary knight, the "Black Spear." A red-haired female knight. And now a mysterious young knight who had recently joined as a retainer.
During their first battle, they had seemingly held back to let the count shine, but from the second engagement onward, they'd been turning the tide of battles on their own. At least, Conrad thought grimly, they didn't go around shattering gates like their lord. Perhaps that was only because they lacked the appropriate weapons, not the capability.
"Is there any other way?"
"There is one option that might work."
"What? You have one?" Conrad shot up from his chair, his earlier resignation momentarily giving way to hope. Was there truly a way to deal with that monster?
"Fortunately, we can prepare a monster of our own."
"Who is it?"
"The Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company."
"Ah!"
Conrad's eyes widened. The Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company was a legendary force comprised entirely of mercenary knights. While most of their members came from fallen noble families, they were all said to have mastered secret swordsmanship techniques.
And their leader, the Crimson Wolf Halken, was a name that struck fear into many. While perhaps not quite at the level of a dragonslayer, Halken's reputation exceeded even that in terms of sheer renown.
"The only issue is their exorbitant cost…"
"Cost doesn't matter! Do you think we're in any position to worry about that?"
They were already facing the brink of destruction. With no guarantee of success, they had no choice but to take every possible chance.
"Summon the Crimson Wolf Mercenary Company. Tell them they can name their price!"
"Ah, what fine wine this is!"
Halken downed an entire bottle in one go, slamming his glass onto the table with a loud clang. His lack of etiquette was glaring, much to Ervin's irritation.
"Sir Halken, I must remind you to show proper respect. You stand before the rightful lord of Drakenfels."
"My apologies. It's been a long time since my family's fall, so I never learned much about manners," Halken replied, though his foot promptly found its way onto the table. His intentional lack of decorum made Ervin's face flush with anger.
This wretched man... He's enjoying himself at our expense, knowing the dire straits we're in.
The current conflict was already famous across the southern region. The new count's rise had sent shockwaves, and the ongoing battles were closely followed by all. It was clear Halken was taking advantage of their desperation.
"Sir Halken."
"That's enough."
Just as Ervin was about to snap further, Conrad intervened.
"He said he wasn't taught better. If it's deliberate, it's an insult; but if it's ignorance, what can we do?"
Halken's face twisted into a scowl. While Conrad's words sounded like a defense, they were actually a veiled jab, implying Halken was simply uneducated.
"Your Excellency, you can't just let this—"
Thunk.
Ervin's words were cut short as Conrad suddenly placed several chests brimming with gold coins before Halken.
"No need for words. Here's your advance payment. Will you take the job?"
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"..."
Conrad's tactic was clear—humiliate and disorient Halken so he couldn't respond sharply. But even if Halken saw through the ploy, the sheer amount of money in front of him was hard to ignore.
Halken reached for the payment but hesitated, an ambiguous expression crossing his face.
"Well, I'll have to think about it."
"What? Think about it? Are you serious?" Conrad growled.
"Yes. The cost of hiring mercenaries depends on the situation, doesn't it?"
Conrad clenched his teeth. This despicable mercenary is planning to squeeze us dry.
"What do you want?"
"There is one thing. Instead of money, I'd like something else."
"Something else? What could a mercenary want besides money?"
"A suitable piece of land."
"What!?"
Conrad was momentarily speechless. Did he just ask for land? Is this a joke?
"Let me clarify. Are you saying you want to become my vassal?"
In some cases, lords granted fiefs to their vassals. If Halken meant this, there was at least some logic—it would come with a pledge of loyalty.
But Halken only burst into laughter and shook his head.
"Oh, come now, Your Excellency. Do you think I'd want to be your vassal? I'm simply asking for the land itself," Halken said with a dismissive wave.
"You bastard...!"
Conrad's hands gripped the edge of the desk. If he hadn't caught himself in time, he might have flipped it over entirely. The sheer audacity of Halken's demand left him seething. The mercenary was asking for land with no obligations or contractual ties—a one-sided request, to say the least.
