CHAPTER 83: DEEP INVESTIGATION

The first thing I did the next day was report Brutus to the authorities, especially the Royal Academy, as well as the likes of Prince Korrin.

I explained the assassination attempt and received a fair amount of compensation for my troubles. The compensation included the C Grade Armament Brutus had in his possession—Dusk Viper Blade—which I gifted to Dahlia.

It’s an Armament registered in my name anyway, which means she can use it on missions where it’s just us or the team involved.

No one else has to know.

After this, I immediately sprinted into action and began attacking a chain of illegal plants, stations, and Dark Guild hideouts. In my past life, the Kingdom launched large-scale sting operations to take down the scourge of the Guild and curb their infestation in the Kingdom.

Using my vague knowledge of those incidents, as well as my current enlightened mind, it wasn’t easy to pinpoint these locations just by investigating deeply.

Employing Bounties as the primary excuse, I attacked these places and struck heavy blows to the Dark Guild... and I wasn’t the only one.

My comrades helped me too.

We’re pretty much an official team now, and people call us The Wandering Nine.

At first, they wanted to label us as the ’Nine Great Heroes,’ but that would be sacrilegious, since those already exist in myths and fables. Also, I think there’s a group out there—operating in the far east of the Continent—who have taken on the mantle of the New Nine Great Heroes.

I even hear that their members belong to each of the respective Nine Great Races, and they treat each other with fairness and equality—just like in the myths.

How could we possibly compete with such people and take on that name?

As the Wandering Nine, our name has become a staple in the Randalorion Kingdom. The villains fear us, and fellow heroes look up to us. Mercenaries have elevated us as their mascots, and we have almost become the face of freedom and righteousness.

The Mercenary industry has also seen a massive spike in members ever since we started operating as a real team, taking down the ’bad guys’ and helping those in need.

All of this, of course, is merely my scheme to hide the true intentions behind our actions.

I want to stop the Civil War.

I also want to deal as much punishment to the Dark Guild!

Of course, I recognize how dangerous my efforts are, but since I’ve already ruined their plans in Fargos, I know they won’t simply let me off.

And, I am indeed correct.

After the first assassination, my team and I have been visited by more assassins, all in different shapes and sizes. Some disguise themselves as fans or helpless travelers, while others act like unskilled bandits, just to make us lower our guard.

This is also why we’ve been on the move lately, not staying in a single place for too long.

It has gotten too dangerous.

We’ve even been unnaturally attacked by Magivores on quite a few occasions, attacks which I believe were orchestrated by the Dark Guild.

Because of this, I know it would be foolish to stop now.

We can only keep moving forward, with the hopes that weakening the Dark Guild will reduce their influence in the Kingdom and lessen their ability to attack us.

After a few months of operating like this... my wish finally comes true, and the assassinations finally stop. Just as I suspected—attacking them was the best way to make them stop.

Perhaps they got the message after we hit them a little too hard, because after assaulting so many of their hideouts and foiling a lot of their plans, the Dark Guild has gone into hiding. They’ve hidden themselves, even from me.

Thanks to this, we haven’t spotted a single one in several weeks now.

But this is a good thing.

It means that the Dark Guild has been affected enough that they’ve chosen a strategic retreat. But their silence makes me a little uneasy, since I don’t know what they could be planning next.

Also, there’s more good news.

It’s currently the start of March... 2027!

The Civil War didn’t end up happening in November of last year, which is more than a win in my book. My actions have indeed had an effect on the world, and I managed to stop the great tragedy from befalling my Kingdom.

It has also been almost two years since I started my journey as a Mercenary.

So much has changed.

I’m currently 23 years old, a young man who has achieved far more than anything my old self was able to in my past life.

As proof of this, my team—The Wandering Nine—has received a Royal Commendation, which has sanctioned us to act on behalf of the Kingdom in eliminating threats. We are essentially unofficial Knights, also affiliated with the Royal Faction.

This has opened the door for us in terms of connections and opportunities.

All of us now possess a license to wield Armaments, among other perks that make us the cream of the Kingdom’s Mercenaries in terms of influence, prestige, and also wealth.

We’re all filthy rich—especially me!

I never handled so much money in all my life in the past, but to think my wealth has increased so much—it’s far beyond my expectations. My business is flourishing, my career as a Mercenary is booming, and I’m in the process of ensuring my Mid-Rank Knight Household is promoted to High Rank.

Everything is going so smoothly.

As if things couldn’t get any better, we’ve been invited to the Duchy of the only Duke who belongs to the Royal Faction. I’ve met him only twice—once, during Serena’s engagement ceremony, and then during the Royal Academy’s Graduation Ceremony.

His second son is Serena’s husband, and his first son also holds a major position in the Kingdom.

He’s also friends with Prince Korrin, whom I have a connection to.

Essentially, this man—Duke Ravenwood—is one of the pillars of the Randalorion Kingdom.

One of the only three Dukes!

Yet, he seeks an audience with our Mercenary group!

After we enter his Estate, a massive place that makes my Aditi Household’s Main Estate look like a backwater village, we are treated to the best of luxuries. Throughout this process, I soak in the wealth and compare my previous perceptions with my current realities.

Just when I thought I was plenty rich, I was shown the true meaning of great wealth.

I have only barely scratched the surface.

After we’ve all settled in, the Duke specifically calls for me and Dahlia.

I understand why he would call for me, since I’m publicly recognized as the leader of the Wandering Nine. But why Dahlia specifically? It’s only when we enter the Private Reception Room and we settle down to talk to him that I understand.

"Dear daughter... have you been well?" Duke Marcus Ravenwood smiles gently as he casts a doting gaze on Dahlia.

Indeed!

The Noble Household that Dahlia is from is actually Duke Ravenwood’s!

How?!

I never suspected a thing!

Never in my wildest dreams would I have made the connection.

"Hmph!" Dahlia scoffs, folding her arms arrogantly as she glares at her father. "What do you want, Duke? Don’t tell me you invited my friends all the way here just as an excuse to see me..."

I still can’t believe it, even though it’s happening right in front of my eyes.

Dahlia... is Duke Marcus Ravenwood’s daughter?

She is Dahlia Ravenwood?!

... The fuck?

To think I actually... ended up with the daughter of a Duke...

No wonder she told me I couldn’t handle her parents. I completely understand her reservations about making our relationship public, and the caution she has displayed over the years.

The High Nobility hold incredible power in the Randalorion Kingdom, but most of their strength is centralized in the hands of the Duke Households.

They are simply on another level!

Only three exist in the Randalorion Kingdom, and they practically control the rest of the Higher and Lesser Nobility. One could say that the only reason the Royal Faction is as strong as it is today is due to the support of Duke Ravenwood’s Household.

’What would this man think of me if he knew the kind of relationship I have with his daughter?’

My face pales once I have that thought.

I turn stiff in my chair, not even paying attention to the back and forth between father and daughter. It’s only when the Duke’s expression turns dark and sullen that I snap out of my rigid silence and speak up.

"What is the matter, Lord Duke? Something has happened, hasn’t it?"

The elderly man looks at me and nods.

"My wife and two other daughters... they’ve been captured."

"WHAT?!"

Both Dahlia and I exhibit shock, but the former’s expression and voice are a lot more intense than mine. Part of the reason is that I have to consistently maintain decorum around the Duke, so despite my chock, I have suppressed my reaction.

But the other reason has to do with Dahlia’s attachment to her family and how this grim news shakes her to the core.

"Y-you aren’t making this up, right? This has to be one of your schemes..."

"I wouldn’t joke about something like this." Duke Ravenwood’s frown turns deeper as he sighs, staring helplessly at the two of us.

Then, he tells the details of the incident and what he knows about it.

’They were on their way back from visiting the Duke’s second son, Serena’s husband, when they were suddenly ambushed by formidable forces and were taken away. Every single guard was slaughtered, and no one made it back alive. If not for the scout-type Rare Armament in the vessel, the Duke wouldn’t have had any information on what happened.’ My expression grows grim as I marinate on the information.

This is bad.

Only very few people would have the power and audacity to attack the Duke’s family like this.

Is this the Dark Guild again?

Could this be the work of the hidden Mastermind pulling the strings?

Brutus didn’t want to harm Dahlia during our confrontation, and all the subsequent assassins treated Dahlia as a special target, with many even trying to kidnap her. At first, I thought it was to use her as a hostage, but what if it was the same as this situation?

What if they were after Dahlia from the start and not me?

No... it could be both.

This simply means the Mastermind knows of Dahlia’s identity as the Duke’s daughter. He could be using this current kidnapping to get to me and my team, but that would be too petty and shortsighted.

Does he need them for something else?

"I don’t know how they knew our exact travel route, and how to disable our security systems, not to mention taking out our scouts, and even countering the effects of our Armaments. I likely have spies in my Household, and I don’t know who I can trust. Your Mercenary team is the most elite independent force I know... which is why I have turned to you." Duke Ravenwood sighs deeply, his brows creasing in worry as his shaky tone bleeds deep sincerity.

I feel for the man.

His wife and two daughters were taken... how brutal.

"Please..." He goes as far as even bowing his head in front of me and Dahlia, his fists clenched as his lips tremble. "Please... help me bring them home."

I sigh.

In the end, regardless of a man’s status and authority, desperation can lead anyone down the path of deprecation. This Duke possesses far more power than I do, with a vast wealth of resources that I can barely even fathom.

Yet, in his helpless state, he has no choice but to plead for my assistance.

Is this also part of the vicissitudes of life?

"Father..."

"Please... there’s no need to go that far, Lord Duke." I smile awkwardly. "We will definitely do everything in our power to save your family and bring those wretched criminals to justice."

"Thank you... truly."

"But, we need more information, Lord Duke. Do you know anyone who would seek to harm your family in any way? Any clue at all would be beneficial..."

My eyes narrow as I ask this question, and I nearly wince after thinking of the obvious.

This man is Duke Ravenwood.

He surely has an overabundance of enemies—far greater than the paltry sum I have managed to gather. However, out of them, only a few should even be able to attack his family this way.

Besides, it’s only logical to ask the Duke himself for clues.

That’s the most efficient way to investigate.

’Their entourage was perfectly countered by the attackers, just like Brutus, who had information about my Armament’s power, among other things...’ The gears in my head turn as I slowly nod to myself.

It’s almost guaranteed that we’re dealing with the same mastermind.

My Armament’s power has only been revealed to those who have perished by my hands and also to my closest allies. Other than them, only the Royal Academy should know the details, since it was gifted by them.

I trust my friends, and dead men tell no tales, which means this adversary is connected to the Royal Academy somehow.

The fact that they sent Brutus as their first assassin proves this fact as well.

But, that doesn’t exactly narrow down the list.

There are far too many Nobles involved in the Royal Academy, and while I indeed have many enemies there, how many would truly be able to go this far to harm me? Earl Klaus Gerondester was my biggest suspect, but after this whole debacle with the Duke, I’ll have to update my assessment.

There’s no way a measly Earl would be able to achieve such a feat against a Duke.

Someone greater is involved.

But who?

"The other two... those Dukes from the Noble Faction... I suspect them the most."

"Hmm?"

I raise my brow slightly and stare at Duke Ravenwood.

Surely, uttering those words must not have been easy, since it can come across as slander.

Defaming a random nobody is fine, but no one can get away with speaking ill of a High Noble, especially on the level of a Duke. Even fellow Dukes do not carelessly throw words against each other, since they hold heavy weight.

So why...?

"To tell you the truth, they’ve been putting quite a bit of pressure on my family, and that has only increased in recent years since the Nobe Faction has been declining. My Household keeps the balance by siding with the Royal Faction, but they’ve been trying to draw me over to their side using any means necessary..." Duke Ravenwood grunts, his expression rapidly becoming fiercer by the minute.

I can see deep hatred burning in his gaze.

"They recently made a demand, trying to implement a policy which I can’t mention to you. I stood in the way of that, as part of the Royal Faction, and sided with the Royal Family, and they threatened me. Now, not long after... my family goes missing."

’Ah...’ My eyes widen, and I feel something slowly clicking. ’I understand the Noble Faction’s desperation to see the Royal Faction weaken. The former has been taking a lot of hits lately, even since my Royal Academy days, and as it currently stands, the Royal Faction is superior...’

It’s clear they’ll want to win over this Duke using any means necessary.

"The strange thing is that the Policy was first brought up late last year, around November, but it was promptly abandoned after our resistance... only for it to resurface yet again, with the Noble Faction attacking more violently."

’Hold on... November?!’

My eyes twitch, and I feel my heart nearly jump out of my chest.

Is it a mere coincidence that something like this happened just one month before the Civil War?

November was also the first time I nearly got assassinated.

If I connect the dots, then isn’t it possible that the current situation would have happened last November if I hadn’t killed Brutus and all the other assassins that came after him?

"Those bastards!" Duke Ravenwood grits his teeth, suppressing his deep voice while seething in pure anger and determination.

"If it’s war they want... then I’ll give it to them!"

’What...?’

"They should just try it! If a single hair on the head of my family is harmed, I won’t overlook any of their transgressions anymore. I’ll personally see to it that they are razed to the ground!"

As I listen to the Duke, my body shudders.

I get it now.

The likely reason for the Civil War that turned the Randalorion Kingdom upside down.

... It’s this man.

He is the catalyst—or rather, the capture of his family is.

If all had gone according to plan last year, then the Royal Family would be in a very disadvantageous situation after the money laundering scandal, and then with the Duke losing his daughter—or even the rest of his family—he would have been enraged and started a war.

That’s the irreparable conflict between both Factions!

All of this is happening a little later as a result of my interference, but it seems like the mastermind still hasn’t given up on his goals.

But... something is off.

’Is the Noble Faction really the culprit here? I thought they were the ones behind the money laundering, but that isn’t the case at all. Instead, it was a third party...’ I clack my finger on the center table, getting closer to the uncomfortable truth.

’What if the Noble Faction is just another pawn, the same way the Royal Faction is a pawn as well? In that case, there’s someone actively scheming to bring the two into conflict!’

It all makes sense.

After all, kidnapping the family of your adversary after a major disagreement is by far too obvious a ploy. Nobles are quite shrewd, especially the Dukes, so why would they make such foolish moves when they’re the likely suspects?

Even in the Royal Academy, I lost miserably to Earl Klaus Gerondester’s schemes. This shows how smart these people can be, and how deeply they think.

I refuse to believe the two Dukes leading the Noble Faction are so stupid.

"I understand your concern for your family, Lord Duke... but please do not be overcome by your emotion. It is still too early to tell who the real culprit is, and I hope you can stay your anger for a while, at least pending the time of investigation." I speak calmly, sending a meaningful gaze to the enraged man before me.

"...."

He sighs, nodding in understanding.

I’m glad he got my message.

Right now, I can’t afford for his man to act based on emotion, since the results will be catastrophic.

This is someone who would kill anyone who would dare sleep with his daughter; how much more would he do if they harmed his family?

This also means I don’t have a lot of time on my hands.

We have to find his family—and fast.

’If we fail, the entire Kingdom is going to be engulfed in a blood-ridden war, and at that point it would be too late to do anything. We’ll all be doomed.’