assistirfilmes Chapter 336: Chapter 335: What's So Great About This? (1)
Chapter 336: Chapter 335: What's So Great About This? (1)
Chapter 336: Chapter 335: What's So Great About This? (1)
The Drake Mercenary Corps is the largest mercenary group in the West.
It boasts a force of over 500 mercenaries, with dozens of affiliated mercenary groups under its flag.
Altogether, they amass a strength of nearly 3,000 soldiers. Truly, it could be called the kingdom's largest mercenary organization.
In the North, the so-called mercenaries were mostly amateurs, and though there were a few decent groups in the East, they couldn't compare to the West.
The West, teeming with numerous merchant guilds and noble houses, offered an abundance of work and a significant flow of money. Naturally, this meant a proportional increase in the number of mercenaries.
And the one who wielded the largest mercenary corps in the West like his personal appendage was none other than Martin, the young lord of the Rodrick Marquisate.
The Drake Mercenary Corps handled ordinary mercenary tasks in abundance, but just as often engaged in the dirty work of the Rodrick family.
As a result, their fame was rivaled by their infamy.
"Haa..."
Dominic, the leader of the Drake Mercenary Corps, drank heavily with an expression of constant anger.
The faint bloodlust in his eyes made his already sharp features appear even fiercer.
Though he had grown the Drake Mercenary Corps into what it was today, he now felt an overwhelming urge to abandon it all and flee.
"That bastard..."
The subject of his curses was Martin.
Dominic had carried out countless vile tasks under Martin's orders. He could tolerate interfering in power struggles, but the abductions and murders of innocent villagers were too despicable.
The reason Dominic had no choice but to obey Martin's commands was that his family had been falsely accused and held hostage.
"To think I must obey my enemy..."
Martin had already killed one of Dominic's family members as an example. Despite being an enemy he could not share the same sky with, Dominic couldn't resist Martin, as the lives of his remaining family members hung in the balance.
That wasn't all. Martin, preparing for the possibility of Dominic's rebellion, had taken other key members' families hostage as well, a move as vile as it was effective.
"There's no way out of this..."
The key figures of the mercenary corps were all held hostage by Martin's schemes, making escape impossible.
Dominic had tried to seek connections with other nobles or ask for their help. But the moment Martin detected any suspicious behavior, he would ruthlessly kill a hostage.
Other executives had also lost family members in such instances, leaving them no choice but to submit to Martin.
Thus, the Drake Mercenary Corps had no option but to obey Martin's every command.
"That devil wields power and influence as well. This world is truly messed up."
Martin's father was none other than Marquis Rodrick, the Commander-in-chief of the Western Army and the hegemon of the West.
No matter how powerful the Drake Mercenary Corps was, it couldn't stand against the Marquis Rodrick.
So, all Dominic could do was drink endlessly to soothe his rotting soul.
As Dominic drowned himself in alcohol, one of his subordinates entered and spoke.
"Captain, new orders have arrived."
"Who do we have to kill this time?"
"...We're to disguise ourselves as bandits and attack the Campbell Merchant Guild." "Crazy bastard."
The Campbell Merchant Guild was a competitor to the merchant guilds controlled by Martin. It was wealthy and rumored to have the backing of a noble family. And yet, Martin casually ordered its assault and destruction. If caught, they wouldn't survive.
But Martin treated them with no regard for their lives.
"Does he trust his father, the Marquis, that much? No matter how you look at it, ordering us to obliterate another noble's merchant guild... He must be feeling desperate."
Martin, too, was ambitious and aimed to seize the successor's position by surpassing his older brother.
To expand his power and influence, he would not hesitate to take such extreme measures.
Dominic set down his glass and sighed deeply.
"At this rate, we'll die first."
Martin's demands were growing increasingly reckless. No matter how strong they were, even the Drake Mercenary Corps had its limits.
If they made a wrong move, they could end up facing a coalition of noble forces and be annihilated.
If that happened, the hostages would die as well.
The Marquis and Martin would simply turn a blind eye. No, they wouldn't let them die easily; they'd likely throw them into a struggle with their rivals to ensure mutual destruction.
That was the kind of brutal and merciless men they were.
The Drake Mercenary Corps was already headed for destruction.
"I should've gone to the North earlier."
Dominic sighed again.
Recently, the North was said to be thriving, unlike before.
Thanks to Count Fenris, various industries were flourishing, and there was an abundance of
work for mercenaries.
The rumors had spread far and wide.
If they had established themselves in the North, they wouldn't be trapped under the thumb of
the Rodrick family.
"If we'd gone to the North, we could've met the famous Count Fenris too."
"Probably... only in battle during a war."
"True."
Dominic let out a self-deprecating laugh.
The Marquis Rodrick was a great lord of the Duke faction. Count Fenris was a lord opposed to
them.
If war broke out, they would inevitably meet as enemies.
"Still, before I die, I'd like to meet him at least once. Starting with mercenaries and achieving such feats... It makes my heart race just hearing about it."
Dominic longed to follow someone like that.
"Look. This is the portrait of Count Fenris that I purchased for a hefty sum."
Still slightly drunk from his earlier drinking, Dominic proudly showed the portrait to Ghislain.
Ta-da!
"...Wow."
Ghislain couldn't find words to respond as he stared at the portrait Dominic presented with
such pride.
'Why... does my face look like that?'
It did bear some resemblance to him, but it seemed excessively exaggerated.
The nose was absurdly high, making it look hard to breathe. The jawline was so sharp that it
seemed capable of stabbing someone to death. The entire face was sculpted with harsh angles, looking more like a statue than a person.
"You... really think that portrait is of the real Count Fenris? You're basing your belief on that
without even knowing the actual face?"
Dominic chuckled arrogantly and replied, "I bought it from someone trustworthy for a fortune. It even came with verified authentication."
"...Someone trustworthy?"
"I'm very well-informed about Count Fenris. I even own numerous collectibles."
"...Collectibles?"
Ghislain's bewilderment grew, and Dominic, now beaming with pride, continued.
"You don't seem convinced. Let me show you something special, you impostor. So you'll stop
pretending to be Count Fenris."
Dominic didn't appear to be showing them out of kindness; he seemed desperate to boast.
He carefully removed a thick book from the box and caressed it lovingly. "This is the biography of Count Fenris. It covers everything from his infamous days as a rogue
to his battles with Count Desmond. It's a first edition. Future editions are expected, and the
price will only go up."
'Who on earth wrote that trash?'
It certainly wasn't a project run by Fenris' estate. Ghislain had never approved or planned
anything of the sort.
Dominic was completely absorbed in showcasing his treasures, paying no attention to Ghislain's reaction.
From the box, Dominic continued to pull out various items to show off.
"This is a cup Count Fenris used. I bought it at an incredible price."
"?"
"This is a saddle from one of Count Fenris' horses. It was hard to acquire due to the price."
" ??"
"This is an outfit Count Fenris wore on an outing. I had to fight fiercely at the auction to win
it. And these are his undergarments..."
"...???"
Ghislain stared at the items Dominic was pulling out, utterly speechless.
They truly resembled items he had used in the past. It felt as if someone had robbed his house
and auctioned off everything of value.
As Ghislain was still trying to process the situation, Dominic brought out something decisive.
"Here, take a look. This is a sword Count Fenris personally used in battle. It's one of the jewels of my collection."
"That's... definitely my sword.'
Unlike the other items that were harder to confirm, Ghislain immediately recognized the
sword.
He wasn't someone who clung to weapons, often picking up and discarding them as he
pleased.
But he always remembered his personal weapons, especially as noble swords bore distinct
seals.
This was unmistakably his sword.
How had items he used ended up being leaked like this? Even if he left them on the battlefield,
his soldiers would usually retrieve them.
In a slightly trembling voice, Ghislain asked, "Where... did you get all these items?"
"I told you, from someone trustworthy."
"Who exactly is this trustworthy person?"
Dominic smirked arrogantly and answered, "The head butler of Fenris himself. He personally
provided these with authentication certificates."
".....The head butler?"
"Yes. My subordinate met Fenris' head butler directly and purchased them, even participating
in an expensive auction. I couldn't go myself due to circumstances preventing me from leaving this area."
11
Hearing Dominic's words, Ghislain closed his eyes.
He had a sinking feeling, and now it was confirmed. The culprit was none other than Claude,
that bastard.