Chapter 139 – Pangaea (5)

Ramas’s eyes were filled with madness.

That look in his eyes, as if he would kill me no matter what.

That overflowing killing intent was directly transmitted to his sword strike.

“Die!!”

The rampaging mana.

It probably wasn’t his intention from the beginning.

The reason he picked a fight with me must have just been for fun.

Swaaaaaak!!

A destructive sword form that seemed to swallow me whole pressed down on the surrounding air.

The ultimate move he possessed was unleashed.

The mana contained in the blade had the momentum to cut even steel. But.

Chaeng!

This time, too, it was lightly neutralized.

The mana that had been concentrated at one point scattered, and a harsh metallic sound echoed.

To anyone watching, it was not a particularly great method of defense.

A basic movement that anyone learns in the introductory course of swordsmanship.

I had simply held my sword diagonally and matched Ramas’s sword strike.

Heh.

I raised the corner of my mouth slightly.

With this, the three defenses I had announced were all over.

What would unfold now was a basic movement that smoothly connected from defense to offense.

This, too, was a basic of basics learned in the introductory course.

Without any particular variation, I crossed swords with Ramas in a straightforward manner and extended Bastian.

Swish!

And a little red blood splattered from Ramas’s cheek.

The blade of Bastian had grazed his skin.

This was an attack that implied both a warning and mercy at the same time.

It meant that if I had thought differently, I could have taken his neck.

Ramas knew that too, so his eyes lost focus for a moment.

I retrieved the holy sword and asked.

“Do you perhaps want to continue?”

“…….”

The guy’s mouth wouldn’t open.

He only answered with his eyes.

Just spare me.

Please stop here.

“It seems not.”

Ramas didn’t deny it.

He still wore a strange expression where bewilderment and fear coexisted.

So this time, I asked Ramel.

“Ramel. Did you see it properly?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m curious about what you saw.”

Even if they saw the same scene together, what people actually see and accept is different for each person.

I wanted to check what Ramel had focused on.

“In the duel just now, I saw the will to kill and the will to live.”

A plausible answer.

He was indeed a bright child.

“I’d appreciate it if you could explain it a bit more.”

“Your duel was not a joke or practice, but a complete real battle. Mr. Ramas attacked with true killing intent, and you, sir, unleashed a sword form that erased all of that killing intent.”

“Quite impressive.”

“And the will to live contained in your swordsmanship, sir, didn’t seem to be just for yourself. Even in that final attack form, I felt some kind of peace. Although you injured Mr. Ramas’s face, I couldn’t feel any killing intent at all.”

At Ramel’s answer, I gave him a smile.

Even though he had never properly learned the sword, he had understood and accepted the essence of the sword I had just displayed.

This was not something that could be obtained through learning.

This guy Ramel certainly had an innate talent.

To the point where he understood something that even Ramas, who must have been worn out on the battlefield, did not.

“And I think I was able to properly see how the swordsmanship I learned from you, sir, can be used in a real battle. Because what happened just now was a vivid real battle.”

“Yes. Because this guy Ramas attacked with true killing intent, it was an excellent teaching material without peer. Even if I were asked to reenact it exactly the same way again, the initial feeling would never come out.”

Because Ramas would no longer be able to harbor killing intent towards me.

I took a step closer to the guy.

“How long are you going to keep making that dazed face?”

“S-sorry! I didn’t recognize who you were!”

“You don’t need to be so scared. I have no intention of doing anything to you here.”

It wasn’t like he had committed a mortal sin.

The scar on his face was enough to pay for his crime.

I patted the guy’s slumped shoulders.

“Please take good care of this ship’s escort until the very end. We still have one more night left.”

It had been a peaceful journey so far.

To the extent that there hadn’t been a single common wave, a single common reef, for the past six days.

***

There was now exactly one day left until we reached our destination, Sherman Port.

I didn’t know if it was because of the commotion last night, but the Red Scorpion Mercenary Company was nowhere to be seen today.

They were guys who had been showing off their presence by poking around here and there throughout the week-long journey, so now that they didn’t show up, it felt a little empty.

“Isn’t it because they’re embarrassed? They were utterly humiliated by you yesterday, sir.”

“That could be the reason. But wasn’t Count Berwood also not seen today?”

The person who had hired the Red Scorpion Mercenary Company as escorts.

He, who had frequently shown himself in the banquet hall, was also nowhere to be seen today.

It could be that he was tired from the long journey, but the fact that everyone had disappeared at the same time was certainly strange.

“Unit Leader. Shall I go look for them?”

“That’s enough. Don’t overdo it, Yoon Joo-hee.”

“But, since you are curious, Unit Leader…”

“I said that’s enough.”

“Yes. Understood, Unit Leader.”

If I hadn’t stopped her, she seemed ready to search every single cabin.

I felt like the characters of the women in the Chamryongdan were all becoming similar.

Maybe it was because she was trained by Shin Ah-yeon.

At that moment, someone knocked on the door of our cabin.

An unusual presence was felt from outside the door.

“Joo-hee, it seems there was no need for you to step up after all.”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

Because the one who knocked on the door was one of the Red Scorpion Mercenary Company guys.

Clearly in the lowest-ranking position.

“Lord Count Berwood would like to see you for a moment.”

“Just me?”

“That is correct. I will escort you to where the Lord Count is right now.”

“I never said I would go.”

“I ask for your cooperation.”

It was a very surprising change.

Because until now, the mercenary company guys had treated everyone except for a few noble passengers as their inferiors.

Since the Count suddenly wanted to see me, I, too, became curious.

Following the man, I entered Count Berwood’s cabin, and he sent the people out.

He wanted a private audience with me.

“Have a seat.”

There was only one day left until we reached our destination. The fact that he had something to discuss with me now meant that the commotion with Ramas yesterday had reached his ears.

He didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

“I’ve heard the story from last night.”

“I thought you would have.”

“An unknown swordsman, yet his swordsmanship is outstanding?”

“I don’t know if it’s outstanding, but I’m skilled enough to protect myself in any situation.”

“That’s great confidence.”

Berwood looked at me with an interested smile.

“I have a proposal for you.”

“I will decide after hearing it.”

“First, check this.”

What he handed me was a payment slip.

The amount written was 2,000 gulit.

It was an amount that ordinary laborers in this world would have to work for several months to earn.

Though I had earned it in a single day by discovering a gold vein.

“What kind of job is it that you’re offering such a large sum for?”

“Surprisingly, it’s a one-day job.”

“I’m getting interested.”

“Can you be my escort until this ship reaches the port?”

Hearing it, the proposal became even more interesting.

“It doesn’t seem like you are being threatened at all.”

“That is true.”

Because the Count was full of leisure.

Furthermore, besides the mercenary company guys on this ship, there was no one who could be called a master.

“And yet, you want to hire me, which means something is going to happen on this ship.”

“You’re quick on the uptake. It seems you’re not just a friend with outstanding swordsmanship.”

“I’m curious. What on earth is going to happen on this ship?”

At my question, the Count answered with a meaningful smile.

“Tonight, pirates are planning to target this ship.”

The moment I heard this, a hollow laugh escaped me as well.

“You mean you boarded this ship knowing that?”

“Then would I have hired a mercenary company for such a high price for no reason?”

It was a convincing answer.

A mercenary company of a whopping thirty men was an excessive number for a simple escort.

“And just so you don’t misunderstand, let me tell you in advance. I have no collusion with the pirates appearing tonight.”

“I’m sure you don’t.”

It was probably not a lie.

There wouldn’t be many reasons for a noble to collude with notorious pirates while risking danger.

In that case, it was highly likely that the Count had simply obtained information through some channel that pirates would appear.

‘Still, was there a reason he had to board this ship?’

No matter how great the Count’s wealth was, the cost of hiring a mercenary company for a week was by no means small.

What was more surprising was that he was willing to spend a large sum to hire me as well.

If there was nothing to be gained by boarding this ship, it was a situation that was hard to understand.

Unless he had lured the pirates himself.

“Alright. Your proposal, Lord Count, I accept it.”

There was no reason to refuse.

If this ship really encountered pirates tonight as he said, I would have to join the battle anyway, so I thought it wouldn’t be bad to receive the Count’s money.

“A wise decision. And I shall watch your performance tonight.”

“That sounds more like a request to subjugate the pirates rather than to be your escort, Lord Count.”

“Isn’t it all the same in the end?”

The Count handed me the payment slip with a smile.

***

It was said that there were nine notorious pirate crews in the Karsein Sea.

The collective term for them was the 9 Pirates of Karsein.

The Count said that one of them would attack the ship we were on tonight.

Even though he could have reported it to the navy in advance, the Count had not.

‘It means there’s something he wants to gain.’

I didn’t know the reason yet, but it might be revealed tonight.

“Sir. Then, am I participating in the battle too?”

“No, Ramel, there’s no need for you to step up. Don’t come out of the cabin.”

“I heard the pirate crews are massive in scale. So if even one more person joins in…”

“It won’t be like that today.”

The fact that the Count hired the Red Scorpion Mercenary Company must mean that this level of force was enough to stop them.

Since his own safety was also on the line, the information must be reliable.

The strength of the scorpion guys was by no means weak either.

“Yoon Joo-hee. As soon as the battle starts, you are to secretly infiltrate the pirate ship. Can you do it?”

“……Yes.”

Her tone was slightly disappointed.

It must mean that she also wanted to participate in the battle by my side.

But sometimes, there are missions more important than battle.

“As long as you’re not discovered, don’t act first. Until I give the order.”

“Understood, Unit Leader.”

When I came up to the deck, the sea was already stained with pitch-black darkness.

The waves were calm.

But a thick sea fog, which I had not seen before, was filling the sea.

It was a perfect night for pirates to appear.

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