Chapter 90: Count Brant Khalodian

“Do it.”

“ARGH! STOP! AHH!”

A whip lashed against the back of a naked man, leaving behind red welts each time. Blood dripped from some of the welts.

“Please! STOP!”

“Hold it.”

Jackson, who had been coldly watching the torture, raised his hand to stop the man from another lash.

“Tell me. Why did you try to kill the countess? Answer me!”

“NO! We were just trying to steal some potions! We never… we never tried to- ARHG!”

The torture continued. All of the mercenaries denied any attempts of assassination even under the harshest punishment. Admitting to an attempt would mean death by hanging so they had no other choice but to deny all the claims.

“We don’t know what you are talking about! We just went there to steal the potions! It’s true! Lieutenant Jackson! Please! Why would we assassinate a noble?!”

Everyone pretty much said the same thing.

‘Ugh. They’re stubbornly holding on. What should I do?’

A day had already passed. They did not give in, knowing that they would die for it anyway.

“Sir, Joseph Algony has arrived and is waiting to meet you.”

“Dammit.”

Jackson frowned as Todd came to report the visitor. He became bitter as the man who claimed to be busy had walked all the way down to the guard’s office.

“Tell him I’m busy.”

“I already did sir, but he said he will wait.”

Jackson frowned. Donian was too powerful to refuse to meet. Jackson knew he needed to be careful as nobody knew what the future held.

“I’ll be out for a moment. We’ll start again once I’m back.”

“Yes, sir!”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. The guards and mercenaries were acquaintances who greeted each other and even drank together occasionally. It was hard for them to bear such a sight. To prove that, some of the guards brought water to the mercenaries and tended to their wounds.

*

“Vice President of the Donian Merchant Group. Why the sudden visit to such a place?”

“Oh, Jackson. You speak as if I’m not allowed here? Didn’t I visit during the last Fall Festival? Have you forgotten? I’m sad.”

Jackson frowned as he remembered how Joseph bribed Hectos during their last meeting. He remembered he was there with them.

‘Dammit, Hectos!’

Jackson became frustrated. But Hectos was the husband of his sister who had raised him since he was a baby.

“Let’s cut to the chase. What is it?”

Joseph narrowed his eyes as he noticed that Jackson wasn’t pleased.

“I want you to take care of the rumors.”

“Rumors?”

“I’ll pay you back sincerely if you do it. Please.”

“It’s not a simple robbery. It’s an assassination attempt on the countess.”

“I heard the ‘rumors.’ But an assassination? That’s absurd! How can those low-life mercenaries think of such a thing! But it doesn’t matter. I just hope such rumors don’t spread. Don’t forget that these nobles will leave this place soon.”

Joseph glared as he spoke and Jackson understood what he meant. Even if they were nobles, they were only visitors.

“I will try, but I can’t make any promises.”

“That will do. Oh, and I sent a gift to the captain while ago, but he didn’t reply. I’ll prepare the same thing again if he likes it.”

‘How dare he threaten me?!’

Jackson glared as Joseph left the office.

“Sir, the captain is back.”

“So what?!”

Jackson, who was shaking with rage, shouted at Todd who had just walked into the office. Todd flinched but quickly continued.

“The captain captured Baxter from the Berdoc Mercenary Group!”

“What?!”

Jackson froze at those words for a moment.

“Let’s go!”

He walked out of the office to the prison. Baxter was tied with a rope at the entrance, with Hectos holding onto the other end of the rope, grinning. Jackson frowned.

‘How is he so damn lucky?’

Baxter was the only one who did not join the attack. Every mercenary confessed that their entire group joined in on the attack. They also remembered Baxter walking beside them as they moved toward the base camp, but he was nowhere to be seen after that. There were witnesses that saw Baxter at some other place at the time of the attack. Jackson decided to not look for him after that, but Hectos found him.

‘He found a man that went into hiding…’

“I’ll cooperate unconditionally.”

Jackson became confused at Baxter’s words.

‘What is he saying?’

Hectos grinned as he saw that Jackson was confused.

“How do you like that? This fool says he’s going to cooperate with us. Haha!”

Jackson realized what was going on.

‘He’s trying to hand over the entire mercenary group for his life!’

*

“Arrest them.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Wh-what’s going on? Argh!”

The guards who busted into the Donian Merchant Group building began arresting all the merchants inside. Any resistance was quelled with clubbing.

“What is this! Stop them!”

The mercenaries tried to fight back, but they were quickly beaten down.

“Surrender your weapons! I am Captain Hectos of the Guards! Surrender, or you will be executed immediately! ARCHERS! READY!”

All of the Donian members threw down their weapons as soon as they saw arrows pointed at them.

“WHAT! What is going on here?! How dare you dogs break into our-”

Joseph Algony charged out of his room with a dagger, shouting. At that moment, Hectos glared and spoke in a tone different from his usual self.

“Fire.”

Tens of arrows were fired at Joseph and penetrated his entire body. He dropped the dagger and fell down, his body twitching as if he was having a seizure. It was so sudden that all of the merchants froze in shock.

“That is what will happen to anyone who tries to fight. Our lord, Count Brant Khalodian, has ordered your arrest. Men, arrest them all!”

“Yes, sir!”

*

Everything worked out quickly after Baxter was captured. He confessed that Algony and Hogg made a deal to attack the campsite. He also agreed that mercenaries were trying to kill the countess. It took three days for the messenger to bring this message to Count Khalodian who was on his way toward the village. He sent his orders with the messenger back to the village while he himself quickened his pace.

The messenger brought the order to arrest everyone in the Donian Merchant Group and the guards stormed the building to arrest all the individuals. News of Joseph being shot to death at the site spread quickly. People also quickly discovered that the Berdoc Mercenaries, who were hired by Donian, attacked the Ainos in order to steal their potions. They speculated that it was due to Joseph Algony trying to take revenge against the Ainos and the count for the cancelation of the trade deal and allowing other merchants to earn profits from the trades.

Many rumors were told and everyone believed them to be true. The mercenaries loved to see Berdoc being dismantled as they hated them for their savagery and the merchants loved the Donian being arrested as they saw it as a chance for them to make money.

After the arrest, the count and his soldiers arrived at the village. The soldiers in the lead slowed down and began shouting at the village, walking past the villagers.

“Move out! And bow down before the lord of this land. Count Brant Khalodian has arrived!”

Everyone began to kneel down and bowed their head sincerely as they saw the cavalry gallop in with a huge flag. Two knights, ten calvary, and a hundred soldiers followed in after the count.

“Welcome to Khaloda Village, milord. I am Hectos, Captain of the Guards.”

Count Brant Khalodian watched Hectos for a moment and then grinned.

“Hectos, it has been a while. You look good.”

“Thank you, milord.”

“Have you decided to come back to me yet?”

“No, milord.”

Brant sighed at the answer and turned his eyes to the front and continued.

“That’s too bad. So, it looks like you’ve been busy.”