Chapter 81

Fasa was a maritime nation.

A considerable number of its national facilities were concentrated near the coast.

However, defending the coastline was no easy task.

Although barriers were erected in the docks and bays to prevent the intrusion of enemy ships, they were not sufficient.

The most standard method of defense was for the fleet to intercept and prevent them from invading the city.

Therefore, from the moment the fleet left its post, Albe had no way to defend against a maritime infiltration.

“Lord Corsini, your orders!”

At his subordinate’s urging, Albe barely managed to pull himself together.

Still, Albe was a nobleman in name.

He was not completely devoid of military talent.

“First, gather all the city's forces and send them to the docks! Stop them from landing!”

“But if we do that, we risk being defeated in detail……”

“Do you think I don't know that? But it's better than the city falling!”

“Y-Yes, sir.”

“Have the remaining forces assemble at the square in front of the city hall. I will form a defensive line!”

While his men ran to the docks, Albe moved with only a few of his close aides.

Even then, his clueless eldest son whined.

“Father, where are we going?”

“To the city hall!”

“What? Why?”

“The city’s defense is about to fail! We have to secure the important figures!”

Albe was the one responsible for the city’s defense mission.

And now that the enemy fleet had approached so close to the city, that mission was as good as failed.

If the key figures were to be swept up and killed in the flames of war, there would be truly no way to evade responsibility.

‘I shouldn't have taken charge of the city's defense. Dammit, why is this happening to me?’

Cursing his reality, Albe ran into the city hall building.

But the inside of the building was empty, as if the city hall employees had already evacuated.

“……?”

Albe sensed something strange.

To react as soon as the alarm sounded, their response was too quick.

Having known Mayor Rapacio for a long time, Albe was well aware of his petty character.

He knew that the mayor was not the type of man to order an evacuation, especially because of the issue of responsibility.

No, even if he were to flee, he was the type to shift the blame to someone else before running away.

That was the true nature of the Mayor Rapacio that Albe knew.

‘Did he hide somewhere? What a foolish thing to do.’

“Everyone spread out and find Mayor Rapacio.”

“Yes, sir!”

Albe gave the order to the subordinates who followed him and headed to the mayor’s office himself.

Only silence flowed as he climbed the stairs.

The hallway in front of the mayor’s office was also empty.

Suddenly, he had an ominous premonition.

Albe unconsciously placed a hand on the hilt of his sword and went to the front of the mayor’s office.

And the moment he pulled the doorknob, a terrible stench of blood wafted out from inside.

“Heok.”

The scene that was finally revealed inside startled Albe.

Mayor Rapacio lay collapsed in the middle of the mayor’s office.

The smell of blood was coming from him.

Next to him stood Mayor Rapacio’s murderers, as if for all to see.

When their eyes met, Albe was flustered and pointed a finger as he roared.

“What is the meaning of this! How dare you!”

Before he could finish his words, something he hadn't noticed before came into view.

The murderers were dressed in the uniforms of the Black Company.

One of them was even the Snow Elf who served as Leon’s personal guard.

Unable to handle the amount of information flooding his mind, Albe’s thoughts came to a halt.

‘Why did they kill the mayor? Did they finally reveal their dark intentions?’

‘More importantly, when did the company return? Aren't they supposed to be fighting the Duchy of Urdino?’

‘How did I not know that this many people entered the city?’

It was all incomprehensible.

Albe knew nothing of the omens of the event that had just occurred.

‘Perhaps the fact that nothing happened was the omen itself.’

It was a poignant, but far too late, realization.

Albe tried to step back, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword.

His mind might have been rusty, but his body remembered the swordsmanship he had learned long ago.

“You bastards, on whose orders did you commit such an act? Do you even know what you've done?”

“Of course. We know very well. We executed a traitor.”

The reply came unexpectedly from behind him.

Albe’s body stiffened.

Because that voice was the one he least wanted to hear right now.

“Leon Gryph!”

Albe gritted his teeth and called out the name of the voice’s owner.

Leon Gryph walked out from behind the shadow of a pillar.

He was wearing a very ominous smile.

At that moment, Albe mentally elevated Leon Gryph to the rank of a god.

Which is to say, he treated him like a demon.

“You demon-like bastard!”

***

Being called a demon didn't particularly offend me.

If anything, the unoriginal insult only made me sigh.

Realizing that I had ruined all his plans, Albe’s face turned white as if bleached, then quickly flushed red with anger.

This is why I can't stand it when other people get in my way.

“What were you thinking, doing something like this! Do you think you'll get away with killing Mayor Rapacio!”

“I don't know what the person who was aiming for the mayor's life just the other day is talking about. Seeing you betray him as soon as trouble arose, I'd say birds of a feather really do flock together.”

“Keuk.”

Having his weakness pointed out in return, Albe clamped his mouth shut as if dumbfounded.

I smiled slyly and taunted him.

“Well, I appreciate your concern, but there's no need for it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“We have a historian in our company, and I think you may have heard her name. I’m talking about Dame Eleonor of the Phoenix Knights.”

“Of course I know of her, but why bring up her name now? Are you trying to say that that noble knight is involved in this conspiracy?”

“Indeed. People tend to see only what they want to see.”

It seemed Albe was also trapped in his own preconceptions.

For a high-ranking noble who once ruled the city, his naive reaction naturally made me sigh.

“Dame Eleonor said that sometimes, history books contain records that differ from what actually happened. In other words, history is a concept that cannot be fully trusted.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“My. My subordinates communicate so well without me even having to speak, which is nice.”

“?”

Albe seemed too tense to afford to understand the conversation.

How frustrating.

I could never understand why villains in stories always wasted time explaining their plans at the climax, but now I think I get it.

It must be because they are frustrated that their adversary knows nothing.

That must be it.

Being in their position, I understand how they feel.

It can't be helped.

I have no choice but to explain everything.

I explained the subsequent scenario to him.

“Today, it will be announced that Mayor Rapacio was killed by the Corsini family while trying to stop them as a patriot.”

“What did you say?”

“Don't be too upset. I've prepared a plan for you as well.”

“Go on, let's hear it.”

“Albe Corsini, colluded with the coalition army, abandoned his duty to defend the city, and deliberately allowed the invasion, putting the city in crisis.”

“What?”

“After murdering Mayor Rapacio with his sons, you took your own life when you were about to be arrested for treason by Leon Gryph, who had rushed back to the city. And I will save the city, which is on the brink of collapse.”

Albe protested vehemently.

“You son of a bitch. You're going to frame me with such nonsense? Do you think people will believe such words!”

“Why, do you think they won't?”

“It doesn't make any sense, logically!”

“People will believe it. Because I will make them.”

As if sensing something, Albe, who had been spewing anger, flinched.

Right.

There was no way he could break through this many people on his own.

Because Albe himself would die here.

The dead always tell no tales.

There was no way a man of power who once ruled the city would not know this fact.

Albe looked dejected for a moment, then his expression turned serious.

“This was all a trap. The navy leaving at the right time, you infiltrating… I've been played right into your hands from the beginning.”

“……”

“But do you think the Corsini family will fall so easily? My sons, and our allied families, will not stand by!”

“Well, I suppose so.”

“If you know that, why don't you stop this bullshit and bow your head to me!”

Albe shouted, quickly becoming imperious.

I retorted indifferently.

“But I don't think you need to worry about that. It should all be over by now.”

“What's all over?”

“Everything. All of it.”

Udatang!

As if on cue with my words, the sound of something shattering came from the next room.

The door was hastily opened, and Albe’s eldest son, covered in blood, ran into the office.

“Father! Help me! The company bastards are pouring in from outside and killing everyone!”

Albe's eldest son looked at me and froze.

His face contorted terribly.

“You, you cowardly company commander!”

What silenced his mouth was the tip of a spear that pierced his chest from behind.

He coughed up a spurt of blood from his mouth and slowly collapsed.

From behind the falling figure, a blood-soaked Eleonor appeared.

Eleonor wiped the blood from her face and reported calmly.

“The traitors have been dealt with. Lord Gryph.”

“So it seems. Lord Albe, is there anything you'd like to add?”

Albe, who had witnessed his eldest son die before his eyes, was stunned.

Then, he suddenly let out a yell and drew his sword.

“You!”

Theo, who was on standby, immediately swung his axe.

Pahat!

Albe’s right wrist was severed.

Following that, several spearheads pierced his body.

Albe knelt before he could even reach me, gasping for breath as he coughed up blood.

He glared at me with a face contorted in pain.

“You, did you come to Fasa with this intention from the very beginning?”

“Just as you act according to your values, I too act according to my honor.”

“A mere mercenary talking about honor.”

“Then you shouldn't have made an enemy of me. If you had treated me with respect, this wouldn't have happened.”

“Hah, so Fasa has invited a monster……”

Having exhausted his last strength, Albe’s body slumped forward.

No. This is absurd.

For the person who led the way in corruption to say such things.

Anyone would think Albe was a loyal subject.

I looked down at his final moments before turning away.

The situation had only passed one stage.

“Now that we've finished picking out the rotten apples from the basket, shall we wrap up the remaining work? Dame Eleonor, what is the current situation?”

“The city hall is completely under our control, and we have brought in all the remaining troops through the north and west gates of Fasa.”

“That was fast.”

“We are reaping the rewards of rigorous training. We should be able to finish off the enemy troops who have infiltrated the city within a few hours.”

I went out to the main entrance of the city hall.

At the entrance, the private soldiers of Albe Corsini, who had already departed for the afterlife, were strewn about.

Beyond them, battles were still raging at the docks and in the city streets.

But the tide of victory was in our favor.

Just then, the wind blew, clearing away the dark smoke.

Bright sunlight poured through the clouds, shining down on the city.

The view of the beautiful coastal city, though half-burnt, was revealed.

I looked up at the sky and smiled.

“Look. The dawn of victory is shining upon us.”

***

The battle ended a few hours later.

As reinforcements from the Black Company were added, the coalition forces that had landed on the docks lost their momentum and faltered.

However, what decided the battle's outcome was the return of the Fasan navy.

When the Fasan navy returned and began to attack the rear of the coalition fleet, the cornered Messina-Pescara coalition fleet abandoned their landing troops and fled.

Realizing they had been abandoned, the landing troops' morale completely collapsed.

The enemy was in front, and the sea was behind them.

There was no way to escape.

In the end, those who were cornered surrendered one by one.

It was a miscalculation by the coalition forces, who had not thought that Leon would defeat the Duchy of Urdino's army and return so soon.

However, the damage to Fasa, which had been used as a battlefield, was also considerable.

Half of the city being burned was unavoidable.

Naturally, this was something that would cause discontent among the citizens, but Leon shifted the blame to someone else.

“Everyone! The traitor Albe Corsini colluded with the coalition forces and sold out the city, bringing danger upon us. Albe Corsini even murdered Mayor Rapacio to silence him! But! Now that I am here! The city is safe! Please rest assured and go about your lives!”

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