Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Birds of a Feather (2)

A mercenary screamed as he collapsed, his leg broken by Gillian’s attack.

At that moment, five other mercenaries who had been watching slowly stood up, exuding a menacing aura.

“These bastards have lost their minds just because we’re nobles.”

“You think we’d be scared just because you’re nobles?”

“Looks like you haven’t heard the rumors about who we are.”

The mercenaries each drew their weapons and started approaching the two men.

The reason they were called “Mad Dogs.”

They wouldn’t hesitate to fight if something didn’t sit well with them, even if the opponent was a noble.

In short, Cerberus Mercenary Corps was a group filled with rebellious scoundrels.

As such, they could not be properly controlled, and since they constantly clashed with their employers, their success rate in fulfilling requests was inevitably low.

“They really are reckless,” Ghislain remarked with a cruel smile on his face.

They were the perfect type to be sent into the Forest of Beasts.

To face mindless monsters, men as rough as them were necessary.

Ghislain glanced at Gillian and spoke.

“Don’t kill them.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gillian clashed with the five “Mad Dogs,” who had drawn their weapons.

Even though there were many of them, and they were skilled and close to the level of knights-in-training, none of them were a match for Gillian.

In an instant, their arms and legs were twisted, and they fell to the ground.

Seeing this, the remaining mercenaries—even those who had been sleeping in their tents—stood up and grabbed their weapons, crawling out to surround the two men.

“Don’t think you’ll leave here in one piece.”

“You messed with us, so I hope you’re prepared.”

“You’re just a bratty noble with too much confidence.”

Realizing that Gillian’s skill wasn’t to be taken lightly, the mercenaries’ eyes changed.

No longer looking at him like a prey they could easily toy with, they now faced him cautiously, as if confronting a wild beast.

Ghislain, noticing the change, smiled in satisfaction.

“It’s surprising to see this side of them.”

Despite their wild nature, they seemed capable of cooperating when faced with danger.

Though they lived up to their reputation as troublemakers, they appeared to be quite useful in battle.

“Well, I guess that’s why your mercenary group hasn’t been disbanded despite all the trouble you’ve caused. Stop attacking and call your leader.”

“What?”

“I’m going to hire you. But if I turn all of you into cripples, you’ll be useless to me, won’t you?”

“You crazy bastard!”

The Cerberus mercenaries were beyond shocked.

They couldn’t believe that this young noble, emboldened by having a decent bodyguard, dared to act so arrogantly.

“Let’s just chop him up right here.”

“Don’t even think about leaving here alive.”

“There’s a reason we live on the outskirts. If you die here, they won’t even find your body.”

The mercenaries, with cruel eyes, slowly closed in on the two, tightening their encirclement.

Gillian slowly drew the sword hanging from his waist.

‘This time, the Young Master made a mistake. It would be better to find another mercenary corps.’

From Gillian’s perspective, there was no proper way to hire these people. He intended to kill all of the mercenaries of the Cerberus Mercenary Corps. As one of the Mad Dogs had said, this place was on the outskirts anyway, with no passersby. It was truly a situation where no one would care if someone died.

In this tense moment, a young man strode out from a tent beyond the group of mercenaries.

“Why are you looking for me?”

As he appeared, even the bloodthirsty mercenaries seemed to calm down a little, each stepping back a bit.

The first thing that caught the eye was his fiery red hair, which looked as if it were ablaze. His defiant gaze warned that anyone who recklessly provoked him might be bitten back.

Ghislain looked at the man and asked, “Are you the leader?”

“Yes, I am Kaor, leader of the Cerberus Mercenary Corps.”

“I’m here to make a request.”

“You come to make a request, and yet you dare treat my subordinates like this?”

As Kaor growled, Ghislain glared back at him.

But if that were the case, they wouldn’t be called the Mad Dogs.

Kaor gritted his teeth at the mercenaries’ reaction.

“You’re no mercenary. And yet, you dare to challenge me with a mercenary’s method? Do you want to steal my position, noble brat?”

“I’m not interested in a shabby mercenary corps like yours. I just want to prove that I’m no brat. And what better way to show it than using a mercenary’s method, don’t you think?”

Kaor’s eyes began to gleam with a murderous intent.

If I refused the kid’s request in front of my subordinates, my authority would plummet.

It was already hard enough to manage this bunch of lunatics. If that happened, I’d be devoured in no time.

“Kuk, fine. The young noble wants to be recognized in the way of mercenaries, so there’s no need to argue any further. You won’t regret it, even if it costs you your life?”

“Of course. But if I win, you and your men will accept the job and follow me.”

“Fine. It’s a deal. Your escort and my men will be the witnesses of this duel.”

“I accept.”

As Kaor agreed and the mercenaries began preparing for the duel, Gillian stepped in front of Ghislain, shouting loudly.

“No! What are you thinking!?”

Gillian’s face was flushed bright red. He finally understood how Belinda felt. His young lord was constantly putting himself in danger.

‘Why does it have to be like this?!’

Gillian couldn’t make any sense of it.

Wanting to enter the Forest of Beasts was one thing—youthful bravado could explain that.

But risking his life on such a dangerous wager? It was beyond anything Gillian could comprehend.

Even so, Ghislain was the man to whom he owed his lifelong loyalty. He couldn’t let him get caught up in this perilous game and die here.

“Then let me do it! My Lord, please stand back!”

Having spent years as a mercenary himself, Gillian knew all too well just how dangerous this duel was.

Even for someone of his caliber, it was something he’d prefer to avoid if possible.

This duel prohibited the use of mana, meaning the fight had to be based purely on strength and skill. If there was a significant difference in ability, it might be manageable. But if the opponent were even somewhat skilled, Gillian would be putting himself at serious risk.

Despite his heated response, Ghislain calmly replied.

“It’s fine. I’ll do it. Trust me.”

“No! I cannot allow that.”

Gillian was firm. Ghislain met his gaze with a serious expression.

“Gillian, this is something I need to do. I know I don’t seem reliable right now, but please, believe in me.”

Gillian was left speechless.

There was no sign of recklessness or boredom in Ghislain’s eyes.

It was the gaze of someone who possessed an unshakable conviction.

Unable to resist that look, Gillian nodded and stepped back.

But that didn’t mean he would let his lord face such danger alone.

His eyes sharpened, filled with a lethal determination.

‘If even a single blade touches the Young Master, I’ll cut off their heads on the spot.’

Gillian gripped his sword, gathering mana and focusing his entire mind.

If it looked like Ghislain would be struck even once, he was prepared to split Kaor’s head open and eliminate everyone here.

Whether Ghislain was aware of Gillian’s resolve or not, he stepped into the small circle, hands bound with Kaor’s.

Kaor stared at Ghislain with a gleaming intensity.

“Are you done with your melodrama? Your chance to flee is gone. I’ll make sure you understand just how foolish it was for a noble to challenge a mercenary’s way of battle.”

Kaor fully intended to kill Ghislain.

For a noble to choose, a mercenary’s duel was sheer arrogance. It was a blatant insult, and Kaor had no intention of letting that slide.

Once the preparations were complete, Kaor glared at Ghislain and spoke.

“You must have heard about this somewhere and thought you could just charge in without fear... but I’ve done this five times.”

Even for a mercenary, such duels were rare, often a once-in-a-lifetime event. But Kaor had survived five of them at a young age.

The fact that he had emerged victorious in all five was why he could stand here now. It was a testament to both his ruthlessness and his exceptional skill.

However, Ghislain smirked and responded casually.

“I’ve done it over a hundred times.”

“What?”

As Kaor stood dumbfounded, the mercenary standing beside them shouted loudly.

“Begin!”

At the signal, both Ghislain and Kaor’s daggers flew toward each other.