Swordmaster's Youngest Son

Chapter 454

C454

January 1, 1800.

The new year had begun.

The families of Tikan gathered at Latrie Bakery and warmly exchanged New Year's greetings.

Crunch, the sound of children breaking cookies with their teeth, filled the air, and candles in various corners spilled their colorful light.

The aroma of freshly baked bread and cookies was irresistible, and the magical fragrance wafting from Latrie's kitchen made both young and old salivate.

It was truly a picturesque and refined scene of the first day of the new year, and the old dog Puppy yawned and approached where the children were.

Puppy had been sitting in his place until now...

But the rough-looking men with somber expressions, in stark contrast to the warm atmosphere, were the reason he changed his position.

They hadn't changed their blood-stained clothes or even combed their hair.

They simply sat with contorted expressions as they tapped the table with their fingers, expressing their frustration and anger with their whole bodies.

They were the captains and officers of the Black King Mercenaries.

The reason they hadn't changed clothes was their way of showing loyalty to the fact that they were still fighting alongside Valkas, who was in a coma.

The reason they were here on the first day of the new year, and not in the Bise Kingdom, was that they hadn't been able to repair the fallen Black King Mountain hideout.

More precisely, that right had been stolen from them.

It was all because of Runcandel.

In the year 1800, as a new century began, the star, the Twelfth Flagbearer of Runcandel, was the first to shine.

The world's finest mercenaries, the Black King Mercenaries!

What was the reason they joined the Twelfth Flagbearer?

It was revealed that the leader of the Black King Mercenaries, Valkas Kran, pledged loyalty to the Twelfth Flagbearer in the Tikan Free City...

Runcandel is now the lord of the Black King Mercenaries, a force no major faction could embrace.

Indeed, the year 1799 was practically Jin Runcandel's year.

Would this momentum continue this year as well?

The war between the Twelfth Flagbearer and the Black King Mercenaries was one of the greatest events of the previous century, and the victors were the Twelfth Flagbearer and Runcandel.

The King of Sky, the mighty Black Dragon Murakan, roared in the world once again!

The mightiest of Dragons, the sovereign of the sky.

Even Zipple fears that name!

"Sigh...!"

"Sigh!"

The members of the Black King Mercenaries sighed and groaned as they read the newspapers spread on the table.

One character at a time.

It was beyond comprehension how they could be filled with such unfair and exasperating content.

They wanted to go to Runcandel and confront them.

How foolish must they seem to undertake such actions, and when did we say we would join the Twelfth Flagbearer?

After the news spilled.

Runcandel sent knights and people to make sure the Black King Mercenaries couldn't interfere in retrieving things from the Black King Mountain.

Externally, it seemed like Runcandel was performing the duties of a monarchial Family on behalf of the "soulless" Black King Mercenaries.

In reality, it meant that the Black King Mercenaries were under Runcandel's control, so they had to follow his directives.

It was also an act to once again clarify their affiliation to external and civilian factions.

It seemed like they were about to burst with frustration.

It was hard to accept losing their territory in an instant...

But the humiliation was even more unbearable!

Crunch!

"Haha! What did you say? Say it again...!"

Creak!

Just as Lata and the Black King Mercenaries were about to burst with anger, the door opened, and a voice was heard.

"Hey, what's this? Why are there so many idiots on the first day of the New Year? Huh? Are you fighting? You are, aren't you? Can't you see the kids playing around here?"

It was Murakan.

Upon hearing his voice, Lata and Fey immediately lowered their heads, and the Black King Mercenaries cleared their throats and turned their gaze.

"Sorry."

"Quikantel, couldn't you have told them to stop fighting? They've been making a fuss since the first day of the New Year."

"I was afraid they'd die if I hit them."

"Ah, I see. Well done. Latrie, bring some cookies. Quick. They smell amazing."

"I was curious to see how far they'd go."

Next to Murakan were Jin, Valkas, and the Black Knight, who was still wrapped in bandages and was carried on a stretcher, just like Valkas.

And also Lani, the Holy Queen, hooded.

The Black Knight had not yet regained consciousness.

Lani took off her hood, and a deep, sacred aura seemed to envelop the inside of the bakery.

In this strange solemnity, the mercenaries instinctively bowed their heads.

They knew she was healing their leader, so they paid their respects.

"We greet the Holy Queen!"

"Today, I've come here as a friend of Tikan. It's awkward, mercenaries, please raise your heads."

Lani shrugged as she said that and then looked at Jin and Valkas.

"Anyway, seeing the atmosphere here, it seems like hard work awaits you. In any case, I want some cookies too. I need to eat and then go back to continue the New Year celebration."

She had found a moment during the New Year celebration to secretly seek out Tikan.

Then, she casually mingled with Tikan families and exchanged pleasantries before the members of the Black King Mercenaries raised their voices.

"Leader!"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, so don't make a fuss. And all of you, don't be reckless and be careful with your attitudes."

At Valkas's words, the members of the Black King Mercenaries lined up and bowed their heads.

"Do I speak, or would you prefer to address them, Valkas-nim?" Jin said, looking at the mercenaries.

Jin and Valkas had already discussed the future of the Black King Mercenaries before coming to Tikan.

"Let me speak. This seems to be the last opportunity for me to speak as the independent leader of the Black King Mercenaries."

The eyes of the Black King Mercenaries widened at his words, and Lata nodded as if he had expected it.

The Black King Mercenaries had not expected Valkas to accept this imposed choice.

Valkas was aware, just as Lata had foreseen, that this was the only means by which the Black King Mercenaries could survive.

"From today, the Black King Mercenaries will swear allegiance as subordinates to the Twelfth Flagbearer. This doesn't simply mean being our leader following his orders for money, as we always do in our world, but rather our lord, and we pledge our trust and loyalty through a blood alliance."

Although Lata had firmly taken control of a significant part of the Phantom Legion Mercenaries, the Black King Mercenaries had placed an even greater trust in Valkas.

At first, the members felt bewildered by his sudden decision, but they quickly regained composure and nodded.

"Yes, Leader!"

"And from now on, the entire Black King Mountain team must be transferred to this place, the Tikan Free City. Since the Tikan Free City will undergo a complete transformation, everyone must mentally prepare and make sure to bring their equipment with them."

It was the moment when Tikan's maximum defensive system was established.

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