Chapter 7. I Became the Contract Mercenary of the Duke's Daughter (2)
"Then I will consider the deal established, Lady."
"Yes, Mercenary King."
"Please call me Danel now. That nickname is too much for me."
"Understood, Danel."
Danel held out the wooden box containing the Ice Bone Bear's claws and the scented candle. At that, Lorraine spoke.
"I don't think I'll need the claws. Please dispose of them, Danel."
"I will do so."
Lorraine put her hand inside her bosom and carefully handed over a silk pouch that looked expensive.
'Finally…!'
"Please check it."
Danel opened the pouch and checked the items.
Rolling inside the pouch were three beads, transparent like crystal but with a peculiar golden gleam in their center.
"It's genuine."
Although he had never seen them before, Danel answered nonchalantly.
Surely the Lady wouldn't scam him?
Lorraine stared straight into Danel's eyes and added a warning.
"If you break one and hold it to your eye, you will be able to visually see the flow of mana and Aura for about an hour. However, this is not permanent. Once the magic power runs out, it turns into just an ordinary glass bead. It would be best not to use them recklessly."
'One hour per piece….'
"I will keep that in mind."
Danel nodded and strapped the pouch to his waist.
In truth, herbs didn't matter.
What he needed was only one thing: to steal the 'trajectory of energy' occurring inside the body when knights operate Aura.
"Then when do you plan to come pick me up? The threshold of the Duke's residence wouldn't be very low for a mercenary like me."
"As I said, procedures are needed. I have to explain your existence to the elders of the family and register your status as an exclusive mercenary. You will also need time to organize your affairs, right?"
"Well, that's true."
"Exactly one week later, I will send Kailey here. Please finish all your clean-up by then."
Lorraine bowed briefly instead of saying goodbye and disappeared out of the hut with Kailey.
Danel closed the door and remained alone.
Ahisha's Eye placed on his palm flashed peculiarly.
10 years.
Years rolled in the hellish Northern battlefield solely to obtain the power called 'Aura.'
Now, a pass to enter the heart of the Duke's family, which monopolizes that secret technique, was in his hand.
If I climb up, step by step….
Danel clenched his fist tightly.
Squeeze—!
'I might… meet that guy again.'
The afterimage of Leorel Piace, the blue-lit knight who tore apart his world 10 years ago, came to mind.
The humiliation of kneeling before overwhelming martial power.
'I will definitely pay it back.'
Two days later, the regular tea party hosted by the Marquis Helmon family.
Inside the greenhouse, venomous words adorned with fragrance were still being exchanged.
Julia Helmon stared at Lorraine's seat with a victor's smile.
It was because she couldn't forget the embarrassment Lorraine showed when she brought up the 'Ice Bone Bear Scented Candle' last time.
She too had searched the entire Duchy, but the scented candle was nowhere to be found.
Julia said to Lorraine with a winner's smile.
"Lady Lorraine, you look pale today? Did you perhaps put on heavy makeup in advance because you felt sorry for coming empty-handed?"
At Julia's blatant mockery, the young ladies covered their mouths and snickered.
But Lorraine did not lower her head as usual.
Instead, she gracefully raised her hand and placed the small silver censer Kailey was holding in the center of the table.
"Did I look pale? Ah, it must be because I couldn't sleep well yesterday waiting for today."
Julia's expression hardened stiffly.
'What is that? Surely…?!'
Lorraine smirked looking at such Julia and carefully lit the scented candle.
At that moment, all the air inside the glass greenhouse changed in an instant.
Whoosh—!
Astonishment appeared on the other young ladies' faces at the tremendous effect.
"T-This scent is…! Is it possibly the genuine article from Corin Merchant Guild? No, it's much stronger than that?!"
"Oh my, world…. Just breathing makes my head clear!"
If the scented candles the young ladies had used until now were merely at the level of 'smelling good,' the scent Lorraine brought felt like washing the brain.
The sensation of fatigue weighing down the mind washing away and the five senses clearing up.
The young ladies' eyes were dyed with envy and astonishment.
The center of the topic shifted to Lorraine in an instant.
'N-No way! I've never seen nor heard of such a scented candle!'
Julia's complexion turned earthen.
She gripped her teacup with trembling hands.
"This can't be! I bought everything from Corin Merchant Guild… No, how did you get something even I couldn't get!"
Lorraine took a sip of tea leisurely and looked down at Julia.
That gaze was not of the intimidated Lady of the past.
"Well. I just have my own routes that the Marquis family doesn't know about. The forest of Ashuhalt does not welcome greedy people. Lady Julia should also put down her greed a little."
It was a complete defeat.
Julia Helmon had to become mute, unable to refute a single word, smelling the scent that was like Lorraine's declaration of victory spreading through the greenhouse.
Lorraine felt the tea was more fragrant today.
'Thank you. Danel.'
After the tea party ended and Julia returned to the Marquis Helmon residence, she swept away all the perfume bottles on the vanity as soon as she entered her room.
Crash—!
Clang—!
"How on earth! How did that idiot who can't even lift a sword get that!"
Screams rang through the mansion.
She tore at her hair and shouted at the head butler.
"Find out! Right now! Dig up every detail of who that wench met and what means she used! How dare she humiliate me like this?"
"U-Understood, Lady Julia."
Julia chewed on her fingernails, her eyes flashing.
"A mere leftover of Ashuhalt dares to block my path? I will absolutely not let this slide."
Reason no longer remained in her eyes filled with jealousy and hatred.
At the same time, deep in the Forest of Silence.
Before leaving the forest, Danel was grilling meat at his favorite hunting spot for the last time.
10 years.
Danel's blood and sweat were stained on every single rock and tree of this mountain.
'I won't be coming back for a while.'
Looking at the scenery he had grown fond of anew, Danel tore off a piece of moderately cooked meat.
It was just as the savory saltiness was about to spread in his mouth.
"Hmm, smells good. If it's not rude, could I get a little?"
"!!!!"
Danel's thinking stopped for a very short moment.
There was no presence.
No, saying there was no presence was insufficient.
Despite it being a voice heard right behind his back, Danel's sharp senses detected no wave in the air, nor sound of stepping on fallen leaves.
Furthermore, even now that the voice was heard, it felt uncertain whether a person was there.
Swish—!
Danel reflexively threw himself and drew his sword, taking a stance.
His heart beat as if it would burst.
"Who are you!"
The man standing in front of him was unexpectedly ordinary.
Curly brown hair tied back roughly and brown eyes.
Dressed as an ordinary middle-aged mercenary with a good-natured impression one might see anywhere.
He raised both hands and smiled a good-natured smile.
"Oops, did I surprise you? Sorry. The smell of meat was so good I made a rude intrusion without realizing."
'Damn it…. Since when? I didn't sense him?'
Cold sweat trickled down his spine.
Since 10 years ago, Danel had cultivated keen senses capable of detecting even the movement of a bug within 10 meters around him.
He was more confident in detection than anyone else.
But that man existed as if he had popped out of space.
If that person were an enemy, Danel's head would have already been rolling on the ground.
"Whoa whoa, friend. I don't even have a weapon. Are you going to keep staring at me with that scary sword?"
As the man said, there wasn't a single sword at his waist.
He didn't even smell of the unique sweat or blood of a mercenary.
A colorless existence. Danel swallowed hard and slowly sheathed his sword.
But he didn't let go of the string of tension.
"Who are you?"
"Me? Just a passing mercenary. I had business in the North and stopped by briefly, then came drawn by the good smell."
"A passing mercenary…. Don't make me laugh."
At Danel's cynical reaction, the man burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Why do you think that?"
"Do you mean a mercenary's steps make no sound at all? I'm not deaf."
A strange light dwelt in the man's eyes.
He crossed his arms and looked at Danel with interest.
"Hoh…? Your senses are sharper than I thought."
"If you have no hostility, just go on your way."
"Sorry. It's just an old bad habit. I'll give you this as an apology."
Flick—!
The man flicked his finger, and something flew towards Danel.
Thinking it might be a hidden weapon, Danel quickly twisted his body to dodge.
Thud—
What fell on the ground was something blunt covered in dirt.
"...Isn't that too much. It's not a hidden weapon."
When the man drooped his shoulders as if hurt, Danel checked it without relaxing his guard.
"Mushroom…?"
"It's a spiritual elixir. It's useless to me, but it will be a big help to someone who needs growth like you."
"Why give this to me?"
"Is it insufficient as payment for the meat?"
Suspicious.
It was too suspicious.
But Danel instinctively realized through his 'Trace' senses.
'Damn it… there's no opening…! Is this possible?'
That man was a strong person whose depth was unfathomable, more than anyone he had met so far, even that knight from 10 years ago.
I can't win.
I can't run away either.
Then the only way is to play along with him.
"Are you doing this really because of the meat?"
"I told you so! My stomach is on the verge of sticking to my back. There there there! The meat is going to burn!"
The man made a fuss pointing at the burning meat like a child.
Danel sighed and flipped the meat.
"Phew…. Eat and leave quickly."
"Thanks! As expected, guys in the North are generous!"
Deep in the forest at midnight, a young man called the Mercenary King and an unidentified man began a bizarre dinner.
Danel didn't know. How much this serendipity exchanged for a piece of meat and a mushroom would twist his life further.
"Kuh… I ate well, friend."
The man patted his belly and said.
Danel still wary of the man, didn't put down his sword.
"...If you're done eating, please leave quickly."
The man said as if hurt.
"Tsk, so cold-hearted. I even gave you something good."
"How do I know what this is? It might be a poisonous mushroom."
"Hmm? Can't you see? The mana clustered in that mushroom?"
Danel was startled.
'Aura User!'
"Are you a knight?!"
At that, the brown-haired man smirked.
"Now you show a little interest in me. What knight, just a wanderer."
"...."
Danel's head spun intricately.
He decided to fold the thought of getting something from this person.
Because he was an opponent he couldn't touch recklessly without knowing his identity.
The man rose from his seat.
"Usha, then I'm off. Your meat grilling skills are quite exquisite. The seasoning is perfect too. I'd like to eat it again someday. Take care."
Like that, the man disappeared into the forest. Left behind, Danel muttered alone.
"What on earth was that…."
A place a little away from Danel's campsite.
The curly-haired man was walking slowly.
It was strange.
He was walking slowly as if strolling, but none of the animals in the surrounding forest noticed him.
"How was he? The next 'Mercenary King'."
A question came from the darkness.
"Hmm, he shows promise. But I'll have to watch a bit more. He has a connection with the Ashuhalt Lady?"
"Yes."
The man raised the corners of his mouth.
"A guy like that wouldn't enter that den of demons without a purpose. This is going to be fun."