Chapter 19
The situation had finally come to an end. Soldiers from Belrus Barony, summoned by Caron, arrived to round up the deserters.
"Hurry up, you bastards! Move it!" one of the soldiers said.
"From now on, you won't have a single moment of peace. Get ready for it, you trash!" another soldier added.
The villagers of Belrus Barony, who had been imprisoned in the stronghold, were also freed.
"Father!" a child exclaimed.
"My son! Oh, my dear son! Thank goodness you're safe!" his father replied.
Another child called out, "Mother!"
It was a successful subjugation. A few deserters had attempted to flee, but after Caron severed one leg of each of those who tried to escape as an example, the others soon became compliant.
And thus, Caron and Leo's first mission came to an end.
As they made their way back to the castle of Belrus Barony, Sabina glanced at the bulky man following them and asked, "Caron, why are you bringing this one along? He could have been thrown into the Belrus Barony prison with the rest of the deserters."
Caron slightly smiled and replied, "It's fate. I'll have him do some menial tasks. As you can see, he's quite strong."
He glanced backward at Urhan, who was dragging along his former boss, the bound and unconscious Michael.
Urhan caught Caron's eye and bowed repeatedly, then said, "Young master! I, Urhan, will serve you loyally until my dying breath! Thank you so much for sparing my life!"
"Is that really something to be thankful for?" Caron muttered.
"Pardon?" said Urhan.
"I was just talking to myself. Your measure will be decided once we get back to Azureocean Castle. It's all thanks to the people of Belrus Barony. Do you understand?" said Caron.
Many of the captives at the stronghold had vouched for Urhan.
"He brought us medicine when we were sick. Please show him mercy…"
"He's not such a bad person."
It seemed Urhan, despite his intimidating appearance, had a soft heart.
Thud!
"You bastard! Treating my life like a piece of luggage? You're a bad person. A bad person!" Urhan shouted as he suddenly kicked Michael's back, letting out his frustration on the unconscious man he was dragging.
Sabina watched the scene with disapproval and shook her head, then said, "Even if he cooperated with us, his crimes won't just disappear. You understand that, right, Caron?"
"I know, but he did lead us to their base and was very cooperative during the search. Shouldn't we consider that when deciding his measure?" Caron suggested.
"Hmm. Well, we do need a witness… I understand for now," Sabina conceded.
"Now, can you tell us what you meant earlier? You said things had gotten complicated," Caron said, having already deduced that the bandits had backing.
In response to Caron's question, Sabina lightly shook a pouch containing someone's severed head and said, "This is the head of Ted Delarh, a 6-Star dark mage and a second-class wanted criminal of the empire. I took him down in one strike when he tried to escape the stronghold along with two Dullahans."
Caron recalled reading about Ted Delarh in the news. He was an infamous criminal known for horrific human experiments, kidnappings, murders, and more. He was a man wanted for numerous crimes. Considering that the very worst criminals fell under first-class, second-class criminals were undoubtedly vicious as well.
"Quite a lot of people came to rescue him. There was even a Death Knight among them," Sabina continued.
"That loud noise earlier… Was it from fighting a Death Knight?" Caron asked as he pieced things together.
"It took me some time to handle them. Neither yours nor Leo's skills would have been enough, so I took care of it myself," Sabina explained.
"Good thing we didn't come here alone," Caron said.
Sabina eyed Caron's sly expression with a hint of shame and said, "I did think about letting you face him, Caron."
"Me?" Caron asked.
"Strength grows by facing strong opponents. Do you think fighting mere deserters has made you any stronger?" Sabina asked rhetorically.
"Well, it was a bit of a warm-up," Caron admitted.
The mission had been easier than he expected. If the deserters had fought from within the mountain, it could have been more challenging. Luckily, the traps they set for capturing a big target had ended up being their downfall instead.
"I'll contact Azureocean Castle via the communication port the moment we return to the castle of Belrus Barony. The emergence of monsters in the western granary and the appearance of a dark mage here can't be a coincidence," Sabina said.
Leo, who had been quietly listening to Sabina's words, cautiously asked, "Lady Sabina, does that mean we failed our mission?"
"Of course not. In the first place, your mission was to eliminate the bandits, and you did that successfully," Sabina reassured him. However, she hid the hint of satisfaction in her voice as she looked at Caron and Leo.
Despite it being their first real combat, they had shown no hesitation, pressing forward with determination. This time, the enemies had their guard down, but the boys had executed the plan flawlessly by using their youth to their advantage.
However, one thing worried Sabina. She thought, As expected… Caron didn't hesitate to kill people.
Overwhelming murderous intent had emanated from Caron's sword. Normally, the first kill came with hesitation, but Caron had severed his foes' heads with ease. Thus, taking advantage of the enemies' moment of terror, he had swiftly eliminated an entire scouting party composed of regular soldiers.
The scene at the stronghold was no different. His decision had been to capture the leader by breaking through the horde of skeletons in front of him. It was undoubtedly a simple and crude method, but it worked.
Precision will come with experience, Sabina thought. She firmly believed that at the boys' age, audacity was necessary. From that perspective, she was pleased with her young grandnephews.
She sighed lightly and her gaze settled on Caron.
Troubling signs were appearing across the continent. The peace following the dethronement of the Malevolent Emperor was fracturing. Multiple kingdoms in the south were already embroiled in war, and regions such as the North Sea were in turmoil. Everything pointed to the end of peacetime.
The appearance of this Child of the Vow who had shattered the Pledge Stone during such tumultuous times was unlikely to be a mere coincidence.
… There's no way, Sabina mused as she shook her head. She believed in fate, but not coincidence. There was no such thing as a coincidence.
"Lady Sabina? What are you thinking about?" Caron asked.
"Just some thoughts," Sabina said as she exhaled softly with a smile.
The thought that lingered in her mind was speculation as to where this era, full of chaos and change, would take these boys.
***
As soon as they arrived at the castle of Belrus Barony, they were greeted by Rohan, the young baron, who had been waiting for them. His face was lit up with gratitude.
"I don't know how we can ever repay this debt," Rohan said.
But despite his bright expression, a small shadow of concern still lingered in his eyes. While the bandit threat had been eliminated, there were still significant challenges that remained. The barony needed to be restored. Belrus Barony had already been struggling before, but now it also had a long road to recovery from the damage inflicted by the bandits.
Rohan understood that better than anyone. Nevertheless, he chose to hide his worries. Now, it was up to him and his father to address those issues.
"Um… May I ask a favor?" Rohan asked, trying to sound as polite as possible as he directed the question to Sabina.
Sabina gestured with her chin toward Caron and Leo, then said, "These two are in charge of this mission. If you have something to say, say it to them."
Although Rohan felt embarrassed, he continued, "It's quite shameful to admit, but at the moment, our barony doesn't have the funds to pay the fee to Azureocean Castle."
If one received help, they had to always make sure to pay an equivalent price. There was nothing more important than settling accounts clearly. That was Rohan's sincere belief. Because of that, he swallowed his pride and requested an extension for the payment. However, Caron's response was something he wasn't expecting at all.
"I was wondering why the bandits chose Belrus Barony out of all places. So, I looked into it myself," Caron said.
Caron had been curious about why the bandits had specifically targeted this land, beyond just the backing they received. He had found an answer from their boss, Michael.
Caron pulled a small stone from his pocket and showed it to Rohan. It was a mysterious stone that glowed white.
Rohan recognized the stone immediately. He asked, "Isn't this a mana stone?"
"That's right. The quality is mid-grade. High-grade ones are classified as strategic resources, but even mid-grade mana stones are extremely valuable. The important thing is, those deserters were mining these in the mountains," Caron replied.
Rohan's mouth dropped open in astonishment. Mana stones were more valuable than gold. They were the most precious resource of the time. Owning a mana stone mine meant sitting on a fortune.
Caron enjoyed the look of shock on Rohan's face as he continued, "I guess you didn't know about it until now."
"... We didn't even have the resources to hire an exploration team," Rohan admitted.
"Yeah, exploring for mana stones can be expensive. But how did those deserters know there were mana stones here when you, the landowner, didn't?" Caron asked.
There weren't just one or two implications that were suspicious. Such a discovery couldn't have been made without inside help from within the empire. Azureocean Castle would thoroughly investigate this incident, and a team would be sent to Belrus Barony as well.
Look at his face, Caron thought as he observed Rohan. A sudden windfall such as this was a blessing for a barony in a very difficult situation. A land so barren it couldn't even sustain proper agriculture was now on the brink of immense wealth.
"So, I have a proposal," Caron said, building up to the main point. Caron continued with a gentle smile, "Since we're old friends coming to help, it wouldn't feel right to just take money. Instead, how about sharing some of the stake in developing the mana stone mine? In other words, a joint venture."
Developing a mana stone mine required significant investment. While the deserters had been using crude equipment, minimizing loss meant employing the best tools and facilities. That included storage facilities for the stones and security forces to protect them.
Rohan quickly did the mental math. With the help of the Leston Duchy, all those needs could be met.
"I'll have to report this as soon as we get back. But with the Leston Duchy holding a stake in the mine, I'm sure no one will dare to encroach on it. Belrus Barony might even request the official deployment of the Oceanwolf Knight Order as a security measure," Caron said.
Intrigued, Rohan asked Caron, "You mentioned a stake. Do you have a specific percentage in mind?"
"Oh, that's something you'll need to discuss with my father. It's a matter that's too weighty for someone my age to handle. I was just proposing the idea," Caron replied.
He was laying out the framework, but he left the details to be negotiated by the actual person in charge. The possibility of requesting the deployment of the Oceanwolf Knight Order was particularly appealing. Belrus Barony couldn't expand its military force at the moment, but the presence of the Azure Wolves would provide substantial deterrence.
Rohan looked at Caron and let out a small exclamation. He realized it was a proposal that satisfied everything needed by the Belrus Barony.
Is this boy really only thirteen years old?
Rohan couldn't believe it. The youngest of Azureocean Castle had already surpassed an extraordinary level. He saw the smile on Sabina's face as she quietly listened, and that alone made it clear that the proposal had a high possibility of success. Thus, he quickly made his decision.
"I'll discuss this with my father and contact you shortly. It won't take long," said Rohan.
"Then I believe we've covered everything. We'll head back to Azureocean Castle," Caron concluded.
"Are you leaving right away? Although it's small, we were preparing a victory celebration," Rohan offered.
"Let's postpone the celebration. We need to take the prisoners to Azureocean Castle for interrogation. We'll be back soon enough," Caron replied.
Rohan nodded with a bitter smile and said, "Let me at least escort you all to the station—"
At that moment, a man burst into the room and exclaimed urgently, "Young Baron Rohan! We need your help to control the situation. Things are getting chaotic with the people…"
With a perplexed expression, Rohan sighed and said, "Oh no…"
"It seems something came up. You should hurry and go. We can find our way back on our own," said Caron.
"It's not proper to send our benefactors off without a proper farewell…" Rohan continued.
"These are chaotic times. You need to be where you're needed," Caron reassured him.
Rohan bowed deeply and said, "Thank you again. I hope to see you soon."
Rohan and the man hurried out, leaving Sabina, Caron, and Leo alone in the reception room.
As soon as Rohan left, Sabina turned to Caron and said quietly, "You didn't have to make the proposal first. Why did you bother with such things?"
Caron grinned widely and replied, "It's a gift for Grandfather."
"A gift, huh? A mana stone mine is indeed a valuable present. But is that all there is to it? I think there's more to it," Sabina said.
Caron chuckled and said, "Well, I don't know. The adults have to handle the complicated stuff."
Sabina looked at her shrewd grandson and smiled. She knew he had already considered the intricate political structure.
Belrus Barony was a gateway that had to be passed through in order to advance into the empire's inner region. During peaceful times, they would maintain good neighborly relations, but things were different during turbulent times. It could easily have become a wall that blocked off the Leston Duchy. Having a legitimate reason to station the Azure Wolves at Belrus Barony would be an invaluable asset for her brother, who was likely concerned about the volatile continental situation.
"We're going to gain something far more valuable than the mission fee. You really are Fayle's son," Sabina remarked.
"Why are you mentioning my father all of a sudden?" Caron asked.
Sabina chuckled and said, "There is something like that. In that aspect, you resemble your father."
What was supposed to be a simple bandit extermination mission seemed to be yielding substantial rewards. Sabina stood up slowly and addressed her grandsons, saying, "Alright, let's hurry back to Azureocean Castle."
Following her lead, Caron and Leo also stood up. Their first mission was complete. It was time for them to return to Azureocean Castle.
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