Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 129

“They say the Lord and the Guild Master are meeting this afternoon.”

“Oh! That’s great.”

Choi Hyun-seok reacted with delight to Bell’s words.

“Honestly, I was just testing the waters, but it actually worked out.”

He had planned to make a move, but he didn’t really expect their meeting to actually happen.

The odds were about 50/50.

It was something he’d be happy with if it happened, but wouldn’t mind if it didn’t.

“Dealing with them separately would be annoying and could lead to variables. It’s best to handle them both in one place if possible.”

The ultimate goal was to eliminate both the Mercenary Guild Master and the Lord.

The most reliable way to do that was to take care of them in one fell swoop.

Dealing with them separately could make the survivor wary.

And if they were to escape, things would get complicated in many ways.

“Alright, now this is where it gets important…”

Choi Hyun-seok stroked his chin with a peculiar smile.

Rachel, who was next to him, tilted her head.

“Why? Is there something else?”

“Of course. Now that things have come to this, shouldn’t we add a little more fun… no, ensure more safety?”

“Safety?”

“Yeah. We need to cast an actor.”

Everyone’s attention focused on him at the mention of casting an actor.

They seemed curious about what that pseudo-Hero was up to this time.

“Let me explain the situation.”

Choi Hyun-seok drew a circle with a pen and wrote ‘Lord’ inside.

“This circle is the Lord. The two branches below are the Lord’s subordinates.”

On the two branches drawn below the Lord, he wrote ‘Crime Syndicate’ and ‘Guards’ respectively.

“And I’m taking down the crime syndicate, which is the Lord’s source of funds.”

Choi Hyun-seok marked an X on the branch labeled ‘Crime Syndicate’.

“The angry Lord wants to mobilize soldiers to catch me, but he can’t. Why? Because those guys aren’t on the Lord’s side in the first place.”

Next to the crime syndicate, the ‘Guards’ referred to the regular soldiers, including those guarding the castle.

At the top of that, he wrote the name of Knight Commander Holkman.

“From what I see, Holkman holds the real power over the castle’s military. How can they catch me when Holkman is hiding me?”

“That’s right.”

“So, what options does the Lord have in this situation?”

This time, Choi Hyun-seok drew a triangle a little further away.

He wrote ‘Mercenary Guild’ there.

“The Mercenary Guild, the largest armed group in Keaton. It’s the only option.”

“Hmm, so that’s why they decided to meet?”

“Exactly. But the important thing is something else.”

Choi Hyun-seok drew a line again from the triangle labeled ‘Mercenary Guild’.

That line was connected to the crime syndicate that had been marked with an X earlier.

“Let’s look at it from the Mercenary Guild’s perspective. How do they see the current situation?”

“The crime syndicate suddenly collapses… and the Lord is asking for help?”

“No, before that.”

Choi Hyun-seok wrote the word ‘Money’ between the Mercenary Guild and the crime syndicate.

“This crime syndicate was also funding the Mercenary Guild.”

“That’s right.”

“And the Mercenary Guild doesn’t know about my existence. From their perspective, their source of funds has suddenly been cut off.”

“Ah! I see.”

“So, from the Mercenary Guild’s perspective, who is the most suspicious person right now?”

“Uh… the Lord?”

“Correct!”

Choi Hyun-seok nodded and continued.

“That’s why I only dealt with the mercenaries on purpose. I spared the soldiers.”

In addition to this, Choi Hyun-seok had subtly laid various traps to fuel the conflict between the Lord and the Guild Master.

Those things came together to create the current situation.

“Hero! You’re so smart!”

“This much is basic.”

“I don’t think anyone can keep up with your mind when it comes to bad things!”

Choi Hyun-seok looked at Rachel with narrowed eyes.

“Is that a compliment?”

“Of course!”

“Ahem! Anyway, it worked out well.”

Choi Hyun-seok drew a new line between the Lord and the Mercenary Guild with his pen.

“Actually, there were so many variables that there was a high chance this wouldn’t happen. Honestly, I didn’t care if it worked out or not, but I’m glad it seems to have succeeded.”

“So, what do you mean by casting an actor?”

“Ah, I haven’t told you about that yet.”

Choi Hyun-seok grinned as if he had a fun idea.

“We’ve already planted the seeds of doubt in the Mercenary Guild.”

“Yes.”

“The next thing to do is to pour oil on those seeds.”

“By casting that actor?”

“Exactly.”

Choi Hyun-seok opened the vault.

There were hundreds of gold coins piled up inside.

“We have enough bullets [money].”

Then he looked at Bell.

“We also have a scout with wide connections.”

Finally, he pointed to himself.

“Since I’m a master of negotiation, we’re as good as ready.”

“Ooh!”

“Shall we get moving then? We’re short on time, so it’ll be a bit busy.”

“It sounds like fun!”

At Rachel’s words, Choi Hyun-seok rubbed his hands together with a wicked smile.

“You can look forward to it. It’s going to be incredibly fun!”

His mind was teeming with endless, wicked ideas.

***

“These damn bastards!”

Knight Commander Holkman slammed his fist on the table with a curse.

Crack!

The thick wooden table cracked, and the documents on it scattered in all directions.

‘That bastard dares to use me!?’

This morning.

After being scolded by the Lord, Holkman went straight to Choi Hyun-seok.

“Why aren’t you killing the Lord as I told you to!?”

“I’ll do it soon, so calm down.”

Even when Holkman pressed him, Choi Hyun-seok remained relaxed.

“If you keep this up, I’ll have no choice but to abandon you. Think carefully.”

“Oh? Then it’ll be hard for you to stay safe too. I have a very loose mouth, you know.”

“Hmph! Do you have any evidence that I plotted treason? A criminal who just blabs without evidence. Me, the Knight Commander. Who do you think the Lord will believe?”

Then Choi Hyun-seok snapped his fingers.

At the same time, a voice began to flow from the air.

“We need to cut off that Lord’s head quickly! Are you planning to stay here forever?”

“I’ll get the knights out of the mansion, so you just need to go into the empty house and slit the Lord’s throat!”

Clearly Holkman’s voice.

Choi Hyun-seok had many other pieces of evidence.

“We’re already in the same boat, so don’t think unnecessary thoughts.”

Looking at Choi Hyun-seok’s sly smile, Holkman thought.

Should I kill them all here?

“…”

But he soon stopped.

He knew that their skills were extraordinary.

He only needed to endure a little longer, so there was no need to invite danger.

“You need to take care of it quickly.”

“I’ll definitely take care of it today, so don’t worry.”

After meeting Choi Hyun-seok like that.

Another piece of bad news was waiting for Holkman, who had returned to his office, huffing and puffing.

“The Lord and the Guild Master are meeting!?”

“Yes. There’s an hour left.”

“Tsk! Prepare the soldiers.”

The Lord and the Mercenary Guild Master were meeting, so they needed an escort.

“The Mercenary Guild in this situation! Anyway, he’s good at doing useless things.”

Usually, there are hardly any meetings between the Lord of a region and the Mercenary Guild Master.

It’s because of the external perception.

The Mercenary Guild is such a large armed group that every move is bound to be taken sensitively.

Of course, the political issues of the higher-ups are also involved.

Anyway, for various reasons, it’s best for the Lord and the Mercenary Guild Master not to meet.

If they have to meet, they meet secretly.

Just like now.

“Select escort personnel from the Knights and prohibit traffic in the area with soldiers.”

“Understood.”

“I should start moving too.”

There’s also the issue of saving face, and thorough escort is essential as the timing is sensitive.

Holkman, the strongest force in the territory as the Knight Commander, also had to move to escort the Lord.

“Move quietly.”

A little later.

The Lord and the knights, disguised in plain clothes, left the castle.

The place they were heading to was a high-end tavern not far from the Lord’s mansion.

Originally, they were going to call the Mercenary Guild Master to the mansion, but he refused, so they had no choice but to choose this place.

“It’s been a while, Guild Master Moldave.”

“I greet the Lord.”

Lord Peroth and Mercenary Guild Master Moldave met in a tense atmosphere.

Each of them was accompanied by a dozen or so escorts, but the eyes of the Mercenary Guild side were particularly fierce.

Holkman carefully looked at the mercenary side.

‘He looks even dirtier than usual today.’

In the first place, knights and mercenaries don’t have a good relationship.

But to openly show hostility in such an important place.

It was an incomprehensible sight, even for the most ignorant mercenaries.

In the meantime, the story of the Lord and the Guild Master progressed.

“As the Guild Master knows. The atmosphere in the city has been fierce for the past few days.”

“That’s right.”

“I came here because I wanted to talk about that.”

As they were talking, the door suddenly burst open.

The man who entered was covered in blood, and he looked like a mercenary from his clothes.

He shouted.

“The, the Guild is under attack!”

“What?”

“The city’s guards are attacking us!”

“That’s nonsense…”

At that moment, a sword that flew from somewhere pierced the neck of a mercenary.

“You bastards!”

“Kill them all!”

Thus began a dogfight between mercenaries and knights that made the area noisy for a while.

***

Bran was originally an ordinary citizen.

He lost his parents in the war, but he was living a solid life, running a store with his younger sister.

It was Lord Peroth who made him a mercenary.

“Nora… Nora…!”

Bran’s younger sister, Nora.

She had been making the bachelors of the city flutter with her mature beauty since she was young.

She was kind-hearted and seemed like she wouldn’t hurt even if you put her in your eyes.

One day, such a sister suddenly disappeared.

No one around had seen her.

No one knew where his sister had gone.

After wandering around for a while, Bran realized what had happened.

“Did you hear the rumor? The Lord is laying his hands on the city’s virgins!”

The rumor he had only heard as a rumor had happened to his sister.

It was a full month later that Bran found his sister, Nora.

A river not far from the city.

A woman washing clothes found Nora’s body floating down.

“No, Nora…! Nora!!!”

From then on, Bran wandered around like a half-crazy person.

He not only worked as a mercenary, but also did not hesitate to get involved in illegal activities.

He did anything that made money.

Dreaming of the day he would take revenge on the Lord someday.

“The thing I’m asking you to do is simple.”

A man came to Bran.

He was a man with purple hair, a large build, and an exotic appearance.

“Wear the clothes I prepared, go to the prepared place, and say the prepared lines, and that’s it.”

“…”

“How is it? Very easy, right?”

“Who, who asks for a favor like this…”

Bran said with a swollen face.

Choi Hyun-seok scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

“No… I mean, it would have been nice if you had greeted me nicely. Haha!”

Bran felt wronged.

All he did was shout who he was.

Isn’t that something you can do to someone who suddenly breaks into your house?

But that uninvited guest suddenly swung his fist and now asks him to do him a favor.

However, Bran had no choice but to grant the shameless man’s request.

“Don’t you want to take revenge on the Lord?”

The fruit was too sweet to refuse.

“I’ll give you as much money as you want. Just name it.”

“I don’t need money… Can I really take revenge on the Lord?”

“Of course!”

There was no need to think any further.

“I’ll say it again, you just have to shout desperately. Like this.”

Choi Hyun-seok got up from his seat and cleared his throat.

“The Lord has betrayed us~! The Lord’s soldiers are attacking our Guild~!”

He shouted in an exaggerated acting tone, turned to Bran, and smiled.

“Then the rest will roll on its own.”

***

Bran’s eyes widened.

‘It’s real… a fight really broke out!’

It was as the man said.

He just said that the mercenaries were being attacked.

It was something that couldn’t happen in common sense, but for some reason, the mercenaries accepted the situation as it was.

A dagger that flew from somewhere must have been effective in making this happen.

“You crazy bastards!”

“Get the Lord to safety!”

“Don’t miss them! We have to kill them all here!”

Knights and mercenaries fought.

The people Guild Master Moldave brought were all gold and silver-ranked mercenaries [high ranking mercenaries].

It’s a force that won’t be pushed back even by a knight.

Crack! Kuung-!

The not-so-wide tavern was soon destroyed and became a mess.

In the midst of the battle, Bran’s gaze was fixed only on Lord Peroth.

“I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you…!”

The enemy of his younger sister, Nora.

The moment to avenge him has finally come.

Just as Bran was about to draw his sword and move.

“Uh-huh, stop right there.”

A giant knight stood in front of him, having entered at some point.

When the knight raised the visor of his helmet, a familiar face was revealed.

“You are…”

“Shh!”

Choi Hyun-seok, disguised as a knight, smiled.

“Are you going to come all the way here and die in vain?”

Choi Hyun-seok lowered his visor again and turned around.

“We have to watch the last moments of our Lord.”

“…”

“That way, you’ll have something to say to your sister later, right?”

The man’s back looks particularly broad.

Behind him, Bran could only nod.