"A damn it! Grab her!"

A mercenary shouted.

Other mercenaries swarmed toward Erilot.

However, because the poisonous spiders were swarming around her, they couldn’t approach easily.

"Subdue her!"

At Selene’s command, the mercenaries stepped back, and two men who looked exactly alike stepped forward.

They threw hook-like objects toward Erilot.

They seemed to be magical tools, because from each hooked trap, streams of light tangled wildly to form a net.

It was a moment away from capturing her.

Kali, casually spinning a two-handed axe with one hand, stepped forward.

Kuun─!

With a dull crack, the net of light literally shattered.

Kali narrowed his eyes.

"Huh."

Then he picked up one of the hooks.

"This magic tool is pretty crude, man."

"......!"

Kali strode toward the man who had thrown the hook and grabbed his neck in one motion.

"Guhk......!"

"Do you think you can use cursed magic tools in a kid’s match? Huh?"

"Ugh......"

"Hah, you bastards. If you were under me, you’d be dead."

Even with the massive two-handed axe slung over his shoulder, Kali held the man like a toy.

"You bastard─!"

Another man who had thrown a hook charged at Kali.

The moment he stabbed his sword into Kali’s back—

Kang─!

With a strange friction sound, he was blocked.

A noble watching through the magical scope turned pale and shouted.

"As expected, Kali Muso. That Gaho is...!"

Gaho .

A Gaho that transforms the body into steel.

Because of that, Kali’s nickname from his knight days was "The Worst Tank Ever."

He always took the frontline in any war to protect allies from enemy attacks.

Moreover, if an attack failed because of Steel Body,

"Gahk!"

─Kali’s other Gaho would snap necks instantly.

"This is unbelievable. A mercenary group with Kali Muso...!"

"How did Erilot find such mercenaries?"

The three-year-olds gasped.

But that was not the end.

The magical scope began to stir again.

"The captain can’t go alone!"

"Ah, I swear I’ll never ride a snow horse again... I thought I was dead."

"Those guys? If we finish them, it’s party time, right?"

Around the ruined barracks, Erilot’s mercenaries began gathering one after another.

Erilot glanced around with a smile.

"That’s right. Once this match is over, I’ll let you eat and drink until your stomach bursts."

"Wooah─! Really?"

"When have I ever broken a promise?"

A thin man with green hair covering one eye stepped forward before Erilot.

"Of course not."

The green-haired man shouted.

"Igritz Mercenary Group!"

"Yes."

"Yup!"

"Yes!"

Then the captain, Kali Muso, grinned grimly and said,

"Let’s be pretty for the investor~."

"Pretty~"

"Pretty~"

Following their captain, the mercenaries grinned slyly and poked their cheeks with their index fingers one by one.

They then faced off against Aileen’s Ideal’s mercenaries.

Those strong fighters had been carefully trained by Kali, the former central knight commander from the late emperor’s era.

No matter how much the 1-tier mercenaries boasted, they were no match.

"What the hell are these crazy bastards!"

A mercenary on Aileen’s Ideal’s side cursed and charged at Kali.

Kang─!!!

Ka-ga-ga-gak!

A giant crescent-shaped blade flew and blocked the mercenary’s path.

A platinum-haired handsome boy landed swiftly.

The boy laughed.

"Don’t get me wrong. I’m not teasing. Our captain is just a bit slow."

"You bastard, Luka!"

While Captain Kali raged wildly, the real battle began.

The green-haired man caught a flying dagger between his index and middle fingers.

"Is Luka wrong?"

The green-haired man drew a curve in the air with the edge of his hand.

The air condensed and transformed into an arrow.

"This guy, Kendal! How dare you disrespect the captain like that!"

"If the captain shows dignity, there’d be no disrespect! But—"

The green-haired man struck the air, and condensed arrows poured toward the barracks.

"Aaaah!"

"Ah!"

"Gahk!"

The condensed arrows pierced only the enemies, avoiding their own troops.

"Kendal Jaytang!"

He had belonged to the central knight corps during the late emperor’s era.

He was a legendary knight rumored to have wiped out an entire battalion single-handedly!

Inside the magical scope, Kali raged even more.

"Kendal!"

"Please stop fighting."

A man with gray hair and a one-shaped scar over one eye sighed.

"My goodness, Harold Izaz..."

The late emperor’s central knight corps staff officer.

A man with 36 eyes.

His Gaho Dead Man’s Gaze continuously monitored a 10 km radius without gaps.

Thirty-six eyeballs floated around Harold and spread in all directions.

"8 o’clock, 5 km out. Reinforcements are approaching."

"Is that so? Then we should get out of here quickly, Luka!"

Erilot grinned and shouted, and Luka dashed off swiftly.

Just as his hand was about to reach Selene—

Selene stiffened and quickly stepped back with a rigid face.

Through the magical scope, Selene’s mother, Bastina, screamed.

"Selene─!"

But it was strange.

Luka passed right by Selene and headed toward...

"What, what is that?"

"Huh?"

"Ugh─!"

A boy.

Luka slung the boy over his shoulder, and Erilot said,

"See you later then."

Erilot and the Igritz Mercenary Group fled quickly like that.

Selene and Aileen’s Ideal’s mercenaries left inside the ruined barracks stood frozen with their mouths agape.

"They caught Moby. Why not the captain but Moby...?"

Selene also seemed completely bewildered and stood still.

The nobles watching through the magical scope were equally puzzled.

"Why not Selene, but just a mere boy soldier...?"

"That’s not the important part. What the hell is going on? Kali Muso and the late emperor’s central knights?"

There was supposedly a mercenary group like that?

Even those with excellent intelligence didn’t know.

How could Erilot, who had no proper ties with the nobles, know?

"Also, how did she lure Kali Muso, who never interferes with noble affairs...?"

"Unbelievable. Kali Muso’s mercenary group."

By their roster alone, they were tier 1. No, historically the strongest mercenary group ever!

Bang!

Balderic slammed the table and shouted.

"What happened?"

Bastina glared sharply at him.

"How should I know? Your older brother recommended the mercenary group!"

"That’s—"

"Talking about intelligence... What is this!"

"Hernan, did you know nothing?"

"Why does the arrow come back to me? How could I know what my brothers and sisters don’t? Did Sylvain know nothing?"

"How could I have known..."

Sylvain looked flustered and stared at Daymond.

"Did you know?"

"I tried to help, but my daughter said it wouldn’t be a fair match if adults interfered."

"......"

"She’s right."

Bastina, Balderic, Hernan, and Sylvain’s faces reddened.

Those who had meddled in the kids’ match fell silent.

Seeing that, Marquis Debussy chuckled softly.

Then he said to the duke.

"Did you know about Kali Muso’s existence?"

"I knew he was on my estate."

Though the estate’s officials contacted him, Kali Muso never allied with Astra.

Marquis Debussy glanced at the duke’s hand.

Though acting casual, his clenched fist showed tension.

Even the emperor sought Kali Muso’s skill.

‘To have brought Kali Muso under her command...’

Debussy’s eyes flickered.

"Miss Erilot Astra’s growth is terrifying."

Those based in Astra called the family head thus:

‘The Greatest Astra.’

In Debussy’s view, except for the duke, only one fit that name.

The Astra who was barely ten years old.

Conrad, standing behind the duke, watched Marquis Debussy who couldn’t take his eyes off the magical scope.

His gaze writhed with desire for tomorrow.

Several retainers felt the same.

"This match will change Astra’s power balance."

A new force was about to emerge.

Centered around Erilot Astra.

Inside the barracks built by the Igritz Mercenary Group.

I squatted down, rested my chin on my hand, and smiled brightly.

"Hello."

The hostage tied tightly with rope flinched.

"Wh-why did you capture me...?"

The boy soldier I had caught from Selene’s barracks was trembling.

No wonder.

He was the boy who was captured instead of the captain, Selene.

"Listen."

"Yes?"

"Do you know?"

"What...?"

"The match is a mercenary battle. Astra’s bloodline cannot be harmed, but mercenaries don’t matter."

"......!"

"Astra’s soldiers can’t be harmed either. They are carefully raised family assets. But mercenaries..."

I deliberately lengthened my words to frighten the boy soldier.

"K-killing people over a match is still wrong...!"

"Right. It’s wrong. But this is Astra."

"A-Astra..."

Astra was infamous.

They killed siblings without hesitation.

People even called Astra the city of murderers.

I gently stroked the boy’s head.

"So before you get hurt, I want you to help us in various ways."

"How...?"

"Tell me Selene’s tactics, for example."

"......"

"She’s meticulous, so she prepared a lot before the fight. She probably gave advance strategies."

"......"

The boy soldier’s lips trembled.

His mouth opened as if to spill the strategy.

Then, I suddenly stood up.

"I’ll give you time to think alone. Luka, put him in another barracks."

"Yes."

Luka dragged the boy soldier away.

"Ah!"

Before they completely left the barracks, I said,

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen..."

"If you give me wrong info on a whim, you’ll end your life at age eighteen~"

"......!"

"Rest well."

After Luka and the boy disappeared, I plopped down on the chair.

The mercenaries of Kali and Igritz looked puzzled.

Kali asked,

"He looked like he was about ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ to spill everything right away. Why give him time?"

"I don’t want him to spill."

"Huh?"

"I want him to beg the captain of Aileen’s Ideal, crying, to come save him."

"What...?"

I smiled mischievously.

"Do you know the name of that mercenary captain?"

"Uh, well..."

Kali stammered, staring into the air.

Showing he definitely didn’t know.

Staff officer Harold sighed deeply.

"I told you to read the documents ahead of time."

"Why would I read when you’re here? Ha ha! So, what’s the name?"

"Cabi Mons."

I clapped my hands.

"Then what’s the boy soldier’s name?"

"Moby Mons."

The eyes of the Igritz mercenaries widened.

"Yeah, he’s the captain’s son. Now, here’s the problem."

I raised my index finger and smiled broadly.

"The son was dragged into enemy territory. Maybe dead. What choice does the father have?"

"......You’re cruel."

Kali looked at me as if I was trash.

Leaning deeply into the chair, I asked,

"Do you know how to win this match?"

"Of course! We need the other captain to declare defeat."

"Right. Even if they torture Selene, she’ll never admit defeat as long as her mercenaries remain."

Selene was like a noble wolf of the snowy plains.

Even if tortured, as long as her mercenaries stayed, she wouldn’t easily admit defeat.

It was impossible to kill her.

"So we have to make sure the match can’t be completed."

We’d make their mercenaries desert.

I shrugged and asked Harold, the staff officer,

"The ropes are tied so they can be untied, right?"

"Yes. Loosely enough to free and use the communication stone."

"You knew my plan? You’re meticulous, Harold."

"Having a captain like this, I have to be more meticulous."

Harold and I exchanged sly grins.

In a secluded barracks.

The boy soldier Moby trembled, looking around.

"If I stay here, I might die."

He quickly untied the ropes.

He had been drilled endlessly on how to untie ropes.

He finished quickly and looked under the barracks.

"Those shoes... ugh!"

They were the walkers worn by the mercenary called Kendal.

Moby, pale as a sheet, quickly returned to his place.

"I can’t get out alone."

He saw the strong mercenaries of his father falling like sticks.

"There’s no way I can win!"

That was why he didn’t want to come.

"How long will you keep hiding behind me?"

"But I’m bad at fighting... and training is hard enough..."

"Heir or not─!"

Frightened by his father’s yelling, he had joined the fight, but if he had known he’d die like this, he wouldn’t have come.

Moby trembled and took out his communication stone.

As the only heir of a tier-1 mercenary group, he had a communication stone.

After connecting, soon his father’s voice came through.

"Moby! Moby?!"

"Q-quiet, please. They’ll hear us."

"Where are you? Hmm? Where is their base!"

"I don’t know. My eyes were covered when they dragged me... Please save me, father!"

"What, what?! Did they do something to you?"

"They say they’ll kill me...!"

"That can’t be! It’s just a kid’s match...!"

"This is Astra! The city of murderers! Hoo, father, I don’t want to die─"

Then.

Someone suddenly strode into the barracks.

It was Erilot and that terrifying captain Kali.

"Aaah!"

Moby screamed in shock.

In doing so, he dropped the communication stone.

Erilot caught the rolling communication stone.

"Looks like the ropes were loose~?"

Moby let out a strangled scream.