There are several entrances to the palace. Doors for nobles and royalty, and doors for servants and menial workers to come and go.

Of course, the mercenary group used the latter. Their position was ambiguous to be called guests, and since they weren’t formally invited, this was perhaps the natural course of action.

“If the Emperor is calling for us, why does it feel like we’re sneaking in?”

“Shh, keep quiet. Don’t give them any reason to find fault with us.”

“Still, it’s kind of exciting. The Emperor of a country wanting to meet us directly. Isn’t this a family honor of sorts?”

“Do you even have a family to bring honor to?”

“…I don’t.”

Luth patted Eddie’s slumped shoulders in consolation. Eddie started grumbling towards Lailo with fake tears in his eyes.

“That’s right… I have no family to bring honor to, and no parents either…”

“No, Eddie, I didn’t mean it like that…”

“…Lailo, you’re the worst.”

While they were engaged in this pointless chatter, they had already reached the inner part of the palace.

It seemed they had circled around a large wall. Kailem silently walked ahead, occasionally glancing back. They all looked like formidable individuals, but the one who stood out the most was undoubtedly their leader.

Lebel. A man with no surname, only a name.

Those with only names always had something about them. Either a story too painful to tell sober, or a secret that must be kept hidden at all costs.

It was unclear which category Lebel fell into. Kailem guessed he might have discarded his real name and taken on a new one during his life as a mercenary.

‘Or… he might be a former slave.’

While slavery was officially abolished in the Empire, illegal slave trade still occurred in various parts of the country.

Although trading people for money was prohibited on humanitarian grounds, there was an underlying perception that nothing was better than slaves for quiet, unpaid labor.

‘If he rose from slave to that position, he must have endured like a madman.’

Kailem inwardly clicked his tongue. While nothing was certain yet, he didn’t think this man had lived an easy life.

Lebel continued to walk while carefully observing his surroundings. It seemed less like routine vigilance and more like he was searching for something specific. At one point, he even took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Lailo had never seen Lebel like this before. He was famous in the mercenary group for his lack of facial expressions.

Lebel had been different from other children since he was a little runt.

When Turgel first brought him to the mercenary group, he lived each day with a face full of anger, but at some point, he hid even that. Occasionally he would show a deflated smile out of absurdity, but he never properly expressed joy.

It was no wonder that a joke circulated within the mercenary group: “If Lebel smiles, the world will be filled with light.”

The mercenary group waited for Lebel, who had fallen behind, and then matched his pace.

“Um, Lailo. The captain doesn’t seem to be in a good mood right now…”

“Eddie, watch carefully. That’s his ‘very happy and excited’ expression.”

“What?”

It looked the same as always, so what was different? Eddie anxiously studied the captain’s expression. No matter how he looked, he couldn’t see any difference. The expression he had seen on Lebel’s face so far had been the same from happiness to anger.

“I just don’t get it…”

While they were busy trying to analyze Lebel’s expression, Kailem stopped walking. They had arrived at an empty detached palace located in the innermost part of the palace grounds.

“Wait here for a moment.”

Kailem entered the detached palace. The palace was not luxurious but neatly arranged. The outer garden seemed to be maintained by someone, but there was no warmth felt, as if no one lived there.

“But why did they call us all the way to the imperial palace? Is there some kind of scheme?”

“…Secret silencing.”

“If it was for silencing, they’d call us separately and give us money. Telling us to keep our mouths shut appropriately. We’re a mercenary group that closes our mouths and ears if they just give us money. Why bother calling us before the Emperor?”

After waiting for a while, Kailem opened the door and came out. Without looking at the others, he gestured only to Lebel.

“Only the captain comes in.”

“How can we trust and let only the captain go in? We should also…”

Eddie stepped forward with a surge of emotion, but Lebel stopped him with one hand. In that moment, Eddie’s hair stood on end when he saw Lebel’s face.

He had never seen the captain like this before. Even in the midst of war, where life and death hung in the balance, he had maintained his composure.

Lebel’s face was not that of someone going to meet the Emperor, but of someone going to settle a long-held grudge.

What if he looks at the Emperor, someone he’s meeting for the first time, with those eyes? Wouldn’t he be executed on the spot? Eddie started to worry in a different direction.

Before anyone could say a word, Lebel disappeared behind the door. After a brief moment of silence, Eddie’s legs gave out and he sank to the ground.

“What’s wrong with you? What did you see?”

“That wasn’t a human expression… I’ve never seen the captain like that before.”

He looked ready to end the life of the person in front of him at any moment. Eddie stood up, his knees still shaking, supported by Lailo and Luth.

“I hope nothing goes wrong…”

**

The inside of the detached palace didn’t let much sunlight in. Curtains or screens covered every window, and white cloths were draped over the furniture, as if no one had lived there for a long time.

It was impossible to guess who might have stayed here, but the current purpose of this palace was clear.

This was a place where secret things that needed to be hidden happened. With no one watching and no one guarding, even if one left as a corpse, who would suspect if it was neatly packaged?

Moreover, the other party was the Emperor, Cledius.

If one didn’t keep their wits about them, a single word could determine the life or death of the mercenary group. If any expression that crossed one’s face was read, it would all be over. As he walked down the corridor, Lebel slowly calmed his mind.

“Your Majesty. I have brought the captain of that mercenary group.”

“Enter.”

Warmth rose from inside the room. A fire was burning in the fireplace. Judging by how much the flames had died down, Cledius had been here for quite some time.

“Welcome. I was about to lose all patience waiting.”

Cledius slightly raised himself from the sofa where he had been lounging. It was like a predator slowly sizing up its prey, but Lebel didn’t flinch.

“Show respect to His Majesty.”

Kailem cautioned Lebel. But Lebel remained motionless, only staring at where Cledius was seated.

He was a man without a shred of courtesy. If someone doesn’t kneel before the Emperor, they can only be forced to do so. Kailem was about to draw his scabbard and swing it towards Lebel’s legs.

“Stop.”

Cledius’ intervention was quicker. Such an insolent attitude, daring to raise his head in front of His Imperial Majesty.

‘So my guess about him being a former slave was right. He doesn’t seem to have learned any manners at all.’

Kailem glared again at the unpleasant mercenary captain in front of him and reattached the scabbard to his waist. Cledius was watching this whole situation with interest. His voice was full of benevolent leisure.

“You must understand with your great generosity. What would these northern lads know about etiquette?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

Cledius lightly clicked his tongue and stretched out his hand to indicate the opposite sofa. Lebel silently approached and sat down in front of the Emperor. Now he could see his face properly.

Another face that must be remembered forever was smiling leisurely in front of Lebel.

It had taken too long to sit here and face him. Lebel forcefully steadied his trembling hands. Repeating to himself that it wasn’t too late yet.

“You caused quite a commotion. The number of imperial guards that you and your mercenary group injured… Kailem, how many were there in total?”

“Nineteen, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, yes. To think that just four of you injured nineteen men. The prestige of the imperial guards has been thoroughly trampled. What a truly regrettable outcome.”

He didn’t seem to enjoy the roundabout sarcasm much. While it would be quicker to get straight to the point, Cledius didn’t bring up the main topic first. He was dawdling, repeatedly fidgeting with his hands.

Cledius met Lebel’s eyes again. Unwavering blue eyes were staring directly at the Emperor. To think a mercenary of unknown origin would dare to stare directly at the Emperor. Moreover, he didn’t look afraid or nervous at all.

In the end, they’re just vulgar beings who move for money. Cledius continued speaking.

“Seeing your skills, you seem to be quite desirable talents. Have you perhaps had experience in war?”

He was trying to probe while pretending not to know. At Cledius’ words, Lebel recalled one battle that wasn’t recorded in official records.

At the time, the Grand Duke who had contracted with the mercenary group kept delaying the contract payment while trying to exploit them, so Lebel withdrew his members without hesitation.

Not long after the mercenary group left, the lion flag symbolizing the Empire flew over the duchy. It was an inevitable result.

“We’ve fought in battle in Seradio before.”

At Lebel’s calm response, Cledius jerked upright on the sofa.

Seradio was a small duchy in the west and had been the site of a considerable battle. It was a place that had given them quite a bit of trouble in the beginning, so it was also a place Cledius couldn’t forget.

“So you were employed by the other side.”

“That’s right. But we didn’t participate until the end.”

“Why?”

“Because we didn’t receive the remaining contract payment.”

Lebel answered as brazenly as possible. His attitude seemed to say, ‘Let’s see you get flustered.’

Hearing this, Cledius’ back hunched forward. His face, buried in his hands, was trembling slightly. Kailem approached the Emperor in confusion.

“Your Majesty?”

“Hahaha!”

The Emperor burst into laughter, his whole body shaking. Finding something incredibly funny, he pounded on the armrest of the sofa as he laughed.

Whether the person sitting in front of him laughed or not, Lebel watched Cledius’ antics without moving. His trembling gradually subsided, and then he looked at Lebel with a crooked gaze.

“You hope that I will give you proper compensation.”

Cledius’ pride wouldn’t allow him to pay less and delay payment than a country that was defeated and absorbed by the Empire.

He was truly a strange man. Cledius felt competitive for the first time in a long while. Here was a man who should be far below him, perhaps even crawling on the ground, speaking loudly in front of the Emperor.

If money was what this mercenary wanted, he could give as much as needed. However, if he didn’t produce results commensurate with his demands, Cledius intended to make him pay the price.

“You’ve stood on the side trying to kill me once, so this time, stand on the side that keeps me alive.”

Cledius gestured to Kailem to bring the contract. A contract and pen were placed side by side on the small table between the two men.

“I will hire the entire Rikas Mercenary Group. The advance payment will be generous.”