Chapter 1: This Ignorance Feels Familiar
“What happens after a person dies?”
“I don’t know; I’ve never died.”
I casually replied to my friend who suddenly threw out the question while we were drinking.
It was a thought I had never even considered. Instead of pondering that, I could’ve sharpened my sword a bit more.
“I’ve heard tales about being reborn.”
“Well, if that’s the case, I’d like to be born into an ordinary family next time. I just want to live quietly.”
After my remark about wanting to live quietly, he laughed for a while before asking again.
“Are you really serious about that?”
“Yeah.”
“A lot of people are suffering from disasters as we speak. If you act, more people will die.”
“I don’t care.”
“I never realized my cheerful friend had this much pain inside.”
“Everyone has a painful past or two.”
Nodding his head, my friend raised his wine glass and said, “Once this is over, let’s go hunt some monsters again.”
“Find something interesting to battle against.”
He chuckled as he downed his drink in one shot and placed the glass down.
“I wish you luck. Want me to pray for you?”
“I don’t believe in gods. I only believe in this.”
As I waved my sword and laughed, he shook his head and got up from his seat.
“Take care. Not going far.”
“Of course not.”
Swoosh.
My friend’s body seemed to vanish into a circle as it pulled him in.
“Wow, what a convenient technique.”
Left alone, I raised my glass.
One drink, two drinks, three drinks.
Memories of the past flooded back.
‘I regret it.’
Perdium Territory in the north of Ruthania Kingdom.
A poor and barren land always fighting against barbarians on the kingdom’s outskirts.
I was born as the Grand Duke of that place.
‘What a pity.’
I lived a life full of complaints, comparing my situation to that of other noble offspring.
Comparison breeds inferiority complexes.
Those complexes poured out as reckless actions, which led to accidents and constant pointing fingers from others.
A scoundrel, a madman, a basement swordmaster…
I lived with all sorts of terrible nicknames and eventually fled my family.
Years spent wandering as a mercenary.
Maybe I was lucky, as I survived rolling through countless battlefields.
As I gained skills and fame across the frontlines, I started to miss my hometown.
‘Back then, I thought returning to my family would make everything alright.’
Regret and guilt about my foolish past made me think I’d become a great asset when I returned to my family.
But…
When I went back, my family and territory had already turned to ashes.
I couldn’t do a thing, simply hiding from the reality.
He evaded the attack.
I had to abandon even the name of the noble to live in hiding, fearing the wrath.
“I had to become stronger.”
A new goal emerged.
I endured the bone-slicing pain and spent years in exile. I constantly fought against the countless disasters that struck the continent.
At some point, I began to be called by a new name.
The Mercenary King.
And I stood in the glorious position of the Seven Strong of the Continent.
By then, life had no deficiencies. I had many followers, high reputation, and matching skills.
“Still, it wasn’t enough.”
But I always felt a thirst.
The family that no longer existed, the regrets of my youth, the late realizations.
All my past tormented me every night, preventing me from sleeping without alcohol.
The family and friends I longed to see, and the people of my territory… they would never return.
“I regret it.”
Yet the wars were not over.
The disasters that covered the continent stained everywhere with blood. The people’s pain-filled groans were relentless.
But my heart could no longer contain those screams.
“It’s time.”
Now was the time to set aside regrets for a moment. There was still one thing left to do.
Still weak, still insufficient, still cautious… still… still…
I had always postponed it, attaching reasons.
“Revenge.”
Yes, the time for revenge against those who destroyed my family was approaching.
Nihilism was consuming me. I could no longer delay.
Their blood would fill the emptiness inside me.
I set down my wine glass and grasped my sword.
*
The Mercenary King Ghislaine raised his troops.
Everyone was astonished to hear the news that he, who had made a name among the Seven Strong of the Continent, was marching.
Though he was regarded as the lowliest of the Seven, the tactical value of the “Mercenary King” was considered equivalent to that of an entire nation’s troops.
― Why did the Mercenary King make such a choice!
In the midst of ongoing war, Ghislaine’s actions drew the ire of many.
Why, of all times, did he incite turmoil now?
Then he revealed his long-hidden name and lineage.
“To me, revenge for my family is more important.”
The target of his revenge was the Ruthania Kingdom, where his family once thrived. Ghislaine pointed his sword toward his homeland, which he had long since left.
Many joined the war, drawn by the Mercenary King’s fame.
Ghislaine’s loyal followers mixed with those looking to profit from the opportunity, drawing their swords alongside him.
“My only goal is the destruction of Ruthania.”
Though Ruthania was dubbed a military powerhouse, Ghislaine, as a member of the Seven Strong of the Continent, was fearsome nonetheless.
He rampaged through the kingdom, smashing everything in his path.
However, at some point, his advance faced fierce resistance.
“Something’s off.”
Strong opponents, whom he had never known before, began to block his way. Yet, they were not from Ruthania.
Why were those unrelated to the kingdom obstructing Ghislaine?
“Something’s going on.”
Setting his doubts aside, Ghislaine calmly dealt with them one by one as he moved forward.
To win the war, Ghislaine needed a swift victory. But the emergence of hidden strong opponents threw his plans off course.
As the war dragged on, the finances rapidly deteriorated, and true to his mercenary nature, more and more began to weigh their gains and losses and defect.
Then, a decisive event that would tip the scales of victory and defeat occurred.
The Seven Strong of the Continent, the “Noble Knight” Aiden, entered the fray.
The balance of the battle rapidly shifted toward the kingdom. Ultimately, in the final battle, Ghislaine found himself kneeling before the enemy forces.
The balance tipped sharply towards the kingdom. In the end, Ghislaine knelt before the enemy forces in the final battle.
“Carto. No, was your real name Ghislaine? So this is how it’s decided.”
A golden-haired handsome man in resplendent armor, Aiden, said with an amused smile.
Though his armor was battered and his hair disheveled, indicating he had endured quite a hardship, he didn’t seem to have any life-threatening injuries.
In contrast, Ghislaine, kneeling before him, was pierced all over by several spears and swords, making it hard to find an intact spot on his body.
Despite bleeding, Ghislaine bared his teeth and smiled at Aiden.
“You annoying little brat. I didn’t expect you to butt in.”
Aiden laughed again and looked around the battlefield.
The area was devastated by fierce combat. Corpses piled up like mountains, and blood flowed like a river.
“Your subordinates all ran away, huh? Truly pathetic scoundrels without a shred of courage.”
“Cough, a mercenary who knows how to survive is a skilled one. No need to die if you can live.”
Aiden scoffed and raised his sword to Ghislaine’s neck.
“Any last words?”
“None. I’m just sorry I couldn’t completely obliterate the kingdom. Go on, kill me, you slimy bastard.”
“Cocky, aren’t you?”
Clearly displeased with Ghislaine’s defiance, Aiden pouted his lips.
“I never liked you anyway. Being mentioned alongside a pathetic mercenary like you.”
“Did you ever think someone would like you?”
“Anyway, I never expected you to be the survivor of Count Perdium’s lineage. That’s surprising.”
Ghislaine’s eyebrows twitched.
It was a rather strange tone for mere commentary on hearsay.
Seeing the bewildered expression on Ghislaine’s face, Aiden smiled with satisfaction. He leaned a bit closer and whispered in Ghislaine’s ear.
“I can’t believe the Grand Duke of Perdium, who vanished, was you. Your younger sister died, and you left home after that, right? I was searching for you once.”
“How do you know that?”
Aiden wasn’t from the Ruthania Kingdom. Therefore, he had no reason to know the intricate details of events that had happened long ago in a foreign land.
Besides, he claimed to have searched for him?
“Of course, I know. ‘We’ joined forces with the Duke Delphine to annihilate your family.”
“What?”
Aiden’s words struck Ghislaine hard.
The Duke Delphine, who had destroyed Perdium, had long since instigated a rebellion and seized the kingdom.
Thus, Ghislaine had no choice but to take the kingdom as a target for his revenge.
But the fact that foreign people were also entangled in that matter!
In a situation he couldn’t comprehend, Ghislaine’s body stiffened. He exclaimed urgently, his face distorted with confusion.
“‘We’? Are you saying there was a mastermind behind the dukedom?”
“Mastermind… that’s not quite the word I prefer. Rather… no, there’s no need to explain that to scum like you. Just think of us as all on the same side.”
Aiden, while arrogant and slimy, always spoke of justice. That’s why he was called a ‘noble knight.’
The fact that such a man participated in the conspiracy to destroy Perdium was unfathomable.
“Why are you involved with our family… It’s a foreign territory that has nothing to do with you!”
“The world doesn’t operate that simply. Well, a pathetic mercenary wouldn’t grasp such high-level concepts.”
“So your involvement in this war is…”
“Right, to wrap things up neatly. Can’t have any blemishes on my name.”
“Surge. I can’t let any blemish tarnish my name.”
Aiden raised his sword high as he finished speaking. Once that sword fell, Ghislaine’s head would roll.
“You bastard! I won’t forgive you!”
Ghislaine tried desperately to lift his body.
But with a body already broken, he couldn’t even move his mana properly.
“You fool, it’s over now. You should have known your place and just lived as a mercenary.”
With a cold scoff, Aiden swung his sword swiftly.
Swish!
It felt like time stopped for a moment.
A chilling sensation grazed his neck.
His vision began to spin.
Amid the blooming blood, Ghislaine felt all the emotions that had tormented him once more.
Regret, emptiness, disappointment, sorrow…
But in the end, what remained was an endless, burning rage.
— They say there’s a chance to be reborn.
Why did his last friend’s words come to mind?
“If I really can be reborn! I’ll definitely tear you guys apart!”
Thud.
The severed head rolled on the ground.
With eyes wide open in resentment, the Mercenary King Ghislaine took his last breath.
*
‘Am I alive?’
He clearly felt his neck was severed. Could it have been an illusion?
Ghislaine carefully opened his eyes without moving hastily.
‘A tent?’
He saw a military-style canvas tent used only in camps.
‘Am I a prisoner?’
Since he didn’t sense any presence around, he was surely alone in the tent.
Moreover, his body wasn’t even tied up.
‘Those cheeky bastards. They just left me here?’
He must have looked quite ridiculous to them. Just lying here without being tied up.
He tried to channel his mana, but he couldn’t feel the vast, ocean-like mana he once had at all.
‘They must have taken some measures.’
Slowly, he propped himself up to look around.
‘A sword?’
Next to the cot stood a sword leaning against it.
“Ha ha, I must have really looked like a joke.”
Even without mana, the swordsmanship he had built up until now didn’t vanish. With just one sword, he was confident he could take down hundreds of soldiers.
‘I don’t know what they’re planning, but I’ll make them regret it.’
Regaining his mana could wait until after he escaped this place.
Rustle.
At that moment, he felt the presence of someone entering the tent. Ghislaine quickly lay back down and closed his eyes.
A soldier came in, bringing something. Judging by the delicious smell of soup, it seemed like a meal.
As the smell of food reached him, he felt a bit hungry, but this wasn’t the time to be distracted by it.
While the soldier turned his back to prepare the meal, Ghislaine swiftly drew his sword and moved like lightning.
“Shh, if you answer my questions honestly, I’ll let you live.”
He hesitated for a moment and then added softly.
“Maybe.”
The soldier looked startled as the sword came against his neck but soon slumped in defeat.
Just as Ghislaine was about to ask what he was curious about, a sigh and some annoyingly familiar words came from the soldier.
“Haah, Grand Duke. Why are you doing this again? Are you bored? Can’t you just go back to the castle?”
“Huh?”
Ghislaine was taken aback, left speechless. No matter how much of a prisoner he was, how dare a mere soldier talk to the Mercenary King like this?
But…
That annoyance felt strangely familiar.
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