The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 13

2. Scheme: The Besieged Bastard

Near Lord Lloyd’s estate.

A gruesome scene unfolded on the main street, a spectacle of horror.

“Save me… Please, save me.”

The street was already slick with blood.

The passersby, alive only moments before, were now lifeless corpses.

The sole survivor, a man with pale skin and a serpentine face, desperately begged for his life, held aloft by the scruff of his neck.

“I… I was wrong. Spare me, and I’ll do anything.”

The snake-faced man grinned, his tongue flicking out at the struggling man.

“You were wrong? What exactly did you do wrong?”

“That’s… that’s…”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, did you? So why apologize?”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. You did nothing wrong. In fact, you did quite well.”

The snake-faced man’s eyes gleamed with a manic light.

“Thanks to you, I get to indulge my hobby, you see?”

With that, he brought a small knife to the man’s cheek.

As the blade drew closer, the terrified man pleaded faster.

“Please, please, please, pleeaaase!!!”

Scrape, scrape, scrape.

A chilling sound echoed.

The snake-faced man meticulously peeled off the man’s facial skin.

Slowly, prolonging the agony.

After a time.

The man held a piece of skin dripping with blood in his hand.

He had flayed the man’s face while he was still alive.

A satisfied smile spread across his face, as if admiring a well-executed piece of art.

One of his subordinates, witnessing this horrific scene, grumbled.

“No matter how you slice it, the Captain’s a pervert. Isn’t that why fewer and fewer people are hiring the Ragged Mercenary Group?”

Indeed.

They were the Ragged Mercenary Group, notorious for their depravity throughout the Elden Kingdom.

Comprising 50 members.

They engaged in civilian killings, pillaging, arson, and sexual assault without discrimination; they reveled in it all.

They were like street hyenas.

Unsurprisingly, Gavin, the mercenary captain, harbored a penchant for collecting human skin.

Yet, they had survived this long for a reason.

First, they adhered to the ‘lines’ set by those in power.

Second, they were reasonably skilled.

Among the fifty members, five were user-level fighters [fighters who have special abilities or skills beyond normal humans].

Moreover.

Mercenary Captain Gavin was a top-tier user warrior on the cusp of reaching the Expert level.

In the backwater territories of the small Elden Kingdom, let alone the vast Calon Empire, they were a force to be reckoned with.

“It’s fine. We won’t run out of work. We’re here because we received a request,” Gavin said.

“To Lord Lloyd’s estate? A task from a noble? That’s a bit unnerving.”

“The reward is substantial. Shouldn’t we make a killing and get out of this business?”

“I suppose so.”

“Captain! Captain!”

Another subordinate approached Gavin, interrupting the conversation.

“What is it?”

“A woman’s arrived! Pale skin, quite a beauty. Hehehe…”

Gavin questioned the subordinate, who made no attempt to conceal his lust.

“Red hair and a wide forehead?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“You idiot! She’s the client. Escort her here, quickly.”

“Ah, a guest?”

The subordinate, visibly disappointed, approached the woman.

Soon, the woman stood before Gavin.

She recoiled at the sight of the flayed corpse and vomited.

“Ugh! Uweeck!”

“Oh dear, oh dear, is that how you greet your beloved brother after seeing him for the first time in a while?”

“I’ve never had a brother like you. You piece of trash.”

“My dear sister openly despises me. How heartbreaking, kekeke.”

Gavin chuckled, placing his hands behind his head. He appeared utterly relaxed.

“So, what brings the esteemed head maid of Lord Lloyd’s wife to visit her good-for-nothing brother?”

“I have a job for you.”

“Of course, I’ll do anything my sister asks. But our mercenary group’s rates are a bit steep.”

“Here’s the down payment.”

The head maid retrieved a leather pouch from her bosom and tossed it to Gavin.

Gavin caught it deftly and opened it.

His face lit up as he confirmed the glittering gold inside.

“That’s why I can’t bring myself to hate you, sis.”

“That’s just the down payment. The success fee is twice that amount.”

“What kind of job pays so handsomely? You know we refuse tasks beyond our capabilities. Like assassinating a noble…”

“It’s not a noble. It’s a bastard.”

Gavin immediately understood.

“Haenon, the bastard?”

“Precisely. He’s currently away from the estate on a mission for the Lord. Ambush him on his way back and kill him.”

“Hmm, even if he’s a bastard, it’s risky, considering he’s Lord Lloyd’s son.”

The head maid produced another leather pouch, and Gavin’s eyes flickered.

But he quickly waved his hand.

“It’s not about the money. You know that.”

The head maid scratched her temple, pondered, sighed deeply, and spoke.

“I didn’t want to reveal this, but who do you think is commissioning this job?”

“Isn’t it you, sis? The bastard is causing so much trouble in the estate that you want him gone.”

“You idiot. Even if I despise the bastard, do you think I’d risk falling out of favor with the Lord? This order comes from someone higher than me.”

Gavin understood and chuckled.

“This is intriguing. The Lord’s wife is trying to kill the Lord’s son. When you think about it, nobles are even worse than us.”

“Shut your mouth. If you breathe a word of this, you and I are dead.”

“I know that. So, I can assume that even if we eliminate him, the Lady will cover it up, right?”

“Of course.”

“Okay, I’ll take the job. Soon, news of the bastard’s misfortune will reach the estate.”

The head maid nodded, turned, and began to leave.

Gavin grabbed her arm.

“Sis.”

“What now?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

The head maid paused, retraced her steps, frowned, and produced another leather pouch, tossing it to him.

Gavin caught it with practiced ease.

A smile bloomed on his face at the weight in his hand.

“That’s why I love you, sis.”

“You disgusting bastard. Let’s never meet again.”

* * *

Despite the commotion at the Cave Estate, I diligently visited the remaining estates to collect taxes.

I covered the ghouls’ corpses with cloths to conceal their true nature.

I didn’t want to further tarnish my reputation by spreading rumors that I was traveling with the undead.

On the way back.

Sion, who had been vigilantly guarding our surroundings since the necromancer’s attack, was dozing off across from me, exhausted.

As I stared blankly out the window, I heard the Heavenly Demon’s voice in my mind.

-Hey, brat.

It was the Heavenly Demon’s first communication in a long time.

The Heavenly Demon had been silent since the battle with the necromancer.

My attempts to converse with him had been futile.

I wondered if something had happened, but he finally spoke.

“That’s a relief. I thought you had finally achieved enlightenment and were about to discard the sword.”

-You impudent bastard.

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re back to your old self.”

-Why did you conceal the fact that you’re a druid [a person with the ability to control nature]?

The Heavenly Demon abruptly inquired about my identity.

“You didn’t ask. Had you asked, I would have answered. I have nothing to hide from you, Heavenly Demon, unlike some people.”

-Druid… annoying. What kind of fate is this?

The Heavenly Demon, muttering to himself, suddenly made a startling revelation.

-The one who sealed me was also a druid.

I was so surprised I was speechless.

Regardless.

The Heavenly Demon continued as if lamenting.

-After unifying the Central Plains and arriving here, I scoured the world. Then I encountered an old man wearing a pointed hat.

“Was he a druid?”

-He was. Initially, I dismissed him as insignificant, as he didn’t even wield a weapon to block my path. I didn’t realize he was a druid.

A druid from a thousand years ago.

My curiosity intensified.

“So, what happened?”

-What do you mean, what happened? That druid was truly despicable. They say the pinnacle of martial arts is union with nature, but that man was manipulating nature itself.

“Was he powerful?”

-Strength wasn’t the issue. In terms of raw physical power, he was no match for me. Yet, I couldn’t catch him. It felt as if the entire world was rejecting me.”

The druid the Heavenly Demon Sword spoke of was not a novice like me but a master.

It was truly astonishing.

Did the druids have a distinct lineage?

Could there be other druids on the Arcania continent?

There was scant information about druids in the Sionlike game story I had read.

Of course.

The protagonist was Sion, and Haenon was merely the first boss.

I only knew that half-elves, rare mutants born from human and elf unions, could become druids.

I wanted to inquire further, but…

I decided to take petty revenge on the Heavenly Demon, who had been ignoring me recently.

“So, you’re admitting you lost?”

-It’s not that I lost, but the nature of the conflict was different. How can you determine victory or defeat against nature? It was a battle where such concepts were irrelevant.

“So, you’re saying you lost.”

-I didn’t lose. I was clearly superior, and he was constantly fleeing. It’s just that his tactics were… unusual.

“So, you’re saying you lost.”

-It’s ambiguous. The compatibility between us…

“So, you’re admitting you lost?”

-Hey, you son of a b*tch!

Finally, the Heavenly Demon exploded.

Was I being too playful?

-Yes! Fine! I lost! Are you satisfied now! I was going to share valuable information, but with that attitude, I’ll keep it to myself.

“Really? Valuable information? What is it?”

-That’s it! I don’t need anything. I’ll remain silent from now on. Good luck on your own!

I grabbed the sword and tried to coax him, but the narrow-minded old man sulked and retreated into meditation.

As I was coddling the sword like a baby, patting and praising it, the carriage suddenly lurched to a halt!

Sion, who had been dozing, snapped awake.

“What’s happening?”

“Haenon, you need to come out. An armed group is blocking the road.”

“Bandits?”

“That’s… you need to see for yourself.”

I had anticipated something like this.

We had collected taxes from nine estates, a considerable sum.

It was a worthwhile gamble if they believed they could defeat thirty armed soldiers and evade Lord Lloyd’s retribution.

Opening the door, I saw fifty sturdy men surrounding our thirty soldiers.

More than I had expected.

I groaned as I surveyed their faces.

If they were runaway serfs driven to petty banditry by hunger, fifty or a hundred wouldn’t matter.

But these were mercenaries, clearly seasoned in combat.

The scent of their bodies carried a sticky odor of blood.

“Who are you! How dare you block the procession of the Lloyd family? This is the Lord’s territory. Stand aside if you value your lives!”

I issued a formal warning for appearances’ sake.

Unsurprisingly, they remained unmoved.

They leaned back, sneering.

“Even for a bastard, you’re remarkably clueless. If we were easily deterred, we wouldn’t have revealed ourselves.”

“Who are you? Answer the question.”

“We are the Ragged Mercenary Group.”

“Hiiiik!!”

The soldier beside me dropped his spear and trembled.

“What’s wrong?”

“Young master, don’t you know the Ragged Mercenary Group?”

“How would I know them?”

“They are infamous for their cruelty throughout the Elden Kingdom. The Ragged Mercenary Captain is rumored to flay people alive.”

“What? That’s insane.”

No wonder the mercenaries’ eyes looked so deranged.

A snake-faced man with pale skin emerged from the group.

He was clearly the leader, his eyes the most unhinged.

-He is not an opponent to be trifled with, insignificant one.

The Heavenly Demon, swallowing his pride, warned me.

If he’s warning me, he must be a master.

-In addition, there are four more who wield mana.

Five user-level fighters, including the captain.

I understood their confidence.

“Okay, Gavin the Pervert. May I ask a question?”

“As you wish.”

“What do you gain from attacking our family? You’ll be caught eventually.”

Unlike petty bandits, a mercenary group of this caliber would be exposed quickly.

An investigator would check the times we visited the estates.

Then, the approximate time of the attack would be determined.

After that, they would identify and track armed groups with unclear alibis around that time.

The Ragged Mercenary Group, with fifty members, would have been seen.

If the Lord’s knights captured and tortured them, at least one would confess.

Moreover, any evidence, like a flayed corpse, would seal their fate.

They weren’t professionals; they couldn’t systematically erase their tracks.

Gavin, licking his blade with his serpentine tongue, answered.

“Ah! Don’t worry about that. We plan to leave the Elden Kingdom after this job.”

“So, your grand exit involves robbing a cart in a rural territory?”

“Hehat! Hehahat! You’re clueless, aren’t you? Hehahaha!!”

Gavin clutched his stomach, laughing maniacally.

He was truly insane.

After a while, he abruptly turned serious.

Then, he pointed his sword at me.

“This cart is just a bonus. The real target is you. Haenon Triss.”