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336 Chapter: What’s So Good About It? (2)

To go to such lengths while avoiding his own eyes. With his busy schedule, it seems this guy really is a piece of work for pulling in that kind of extra income.

Ghislaine swallowed nervously and asked, “But… an auction? Where’s the auction happening?”

“Hmm, that’s a secret known only to a select few,” he replied.

“A secret?”

“Yeah, I can’t just tell anyone. It’s the Chief Officer Penris’s deep intention to sell precious items only to true followers. There are always those wicked merchants who buy precious items and then resell them for a higher price.”

“R-right… But if we’re going to have an auction, that means there are a lot of people willing to buy my stuff?”

“Not yours, but Count Penris’s stuff. Can’t you tell the difference? After Count Penris defeated Count Desmond, he became really popular in the kingdom. They’re even calling him a saint in the capital, you know.”

“He’s popular, huh?”

“Yeah, so it’s only natural that he has more followers. You’re quite clueless for a pretender, aren’t you? Tsk.”

Famous dancers or knights across the continent attract many followers just as they gain popularity. There are just as many people who use those popular figures to run businesses, selling stories about them in books and hawking their items for exorbitant prices.

Clothes and accessories worn by popular figures quickly set trends, leading merchants to create special items just for them.

Take Meriel from the capital, for instance; she leads the fashion for noblewomen there.

Ricardo, living in Perdium, similarly had numerous followers thanks to his handsome face.

Thus, it wasn’t particularly special for Ghislaine to have followers.

He was aware that he was popular among the territory residents. However, he had no idea his followers were so fervent.

“Wow… I don’t think I had anything like this in my past life… Did I just not know how popular I really was?”

In his previous life, he was famous as the Mercenary King of the Seven Strong on the continent. He remembered having some measure of popularity, but perhaps he was seen as something of an outsider.

More like a notorious bandit, perhaps?

Anyway, Claude seemed to be using Ghislaine’s popularity to earn himself a nice side income. And Wendy was clearly turning a blind eye to it.

“I guess I should change my guard soon.”

He remembered hearing that some gold coins had gone missing before. Wendy had let it slide back then, too.

Even someone like Wendy seemed to have her heart softened subtly when around Claude.

Ghislaine tousled his hair and asked again, “But still, even if you’re a fan… is it really necessary to buy something like that?”

“Well, isn’t it a given as a follower? Listening to his stories and seeing him is the only joy left for me. So, wanting a precious item is only natural. Tsk, can’t you understand that feeling as a pretender?”

Dominic clicked his tongue and then lovingly gazed around at his precious items.

“Ahh…”

‘This guy… is a bit dangerous.’

Indeed, you can only really know a person through genuine conversation. Ghislaine had seen Dominic in his previous life, but he never realized back then that he had this kind of personality.

The Drake Mercenary Group clashed with the Mercenary King’s army with fiery fervor.

At that time, since he was tied to the House of Marquis Roderick, he had no choice but to assault Ghislaine.

But that spirit and skill were truly remarkable, to the extent that Ghislaine recognized them. The Drake Mercenary Group was stronger than average kingdom armies, and their leader, Dominic, was also an excellent warrior and commander.

During the civil war, the Drake Mercenary Group was the first to charge into battle, as Marquis Roderick treated them merely as cannon fodder.

The marquis himself was surprised by the combat power of the Drake Mercenary Group, though.

To think that the leader was someone so enamored with popularity.

Dominic carefully packed away his precious items back into their boxes. His hands moved deftly with experience.

He had taken them out every time Penris Count was mentioned. Collectors can’t help but show off their precious items.

As the bragging came to an end, he suddenly returned to that sharp demeanor characteristic of a mercenary leader and said, “Now you understand why I don’t trust you, right? I know more about Count Penris than anyone else. Perhaps there’s no one here who understands him as well as I do.”

“Hmm.”

Ghislaine nodded several times. This was someone who was obsessively collecting even clothes that others had worn. With that level of passion, he couldn’t deny it.

Though it seemed amusing, it wasn’t something to take lightly. He could even understand why Dominic had become so passionate about collecting.

He was bound by unbreakable chains. Unable to leave due to his hostage family. There was nothing he could do.

So he must have needed something to immerse himself in.

Something to soothe his tired and weary heart, something to help him forget reality.

And usually, one projects their strong desires onto that subject.

— I want to be like that person.

The ruffian of the North, someone who didn’t care about others’ opinions, who forged his own path through strength, and ultimately toppled the great lord of the North, whom no one else could defeat.

Perhaps Dominic was hoping Ghislaine would appear like a hero and shatter his miserable reality.

And indeed, Ghislaine came to him, already aware of his circumstances.

But Dominic, without realizing that the person he admired stood before him, spoke with a cold expression, “If you’re going to impersonate my hero and cause trouble here, you should be prepared to pay the price.”

With that, he drew his sword, exuding a fierce aura. Truly a sight to behold from the leader of the largest mercenary group in the West.

His followers also surrounded Ghislaine’s party with grim expressions. Meanwhile, dozens more had gathered outside, ready to strike.

Ghislaine slowly scanned the scene and looked at Dominic and asked, “What’s so good about it?”

“What do you mean?”

“The owner of your precious items.”

At those words, Dominic chuckled and replied, “The best part is the reckless reputation, of course.”

“Reckless?”

“Yes, the fact that everyone’s terrified, opposing, and warning me, yet I stubbornly push forward—that’s what I like most.”

“Quite the unique taste you have. You like that kind of thing? Seems most people don’t care for it much.”

“I can’t do that.”

Dominic wished to live like that, but he lacked both the ability and the guts.

His words came off as a mix of self-deprecation and pent-up frustration.

After shaking his head several times, Dominic thrust his sword forward and said, “Now, get rid of this pretender. No need to kill him, just beat him up enough to send him off.”

“If you like that kind of display, I’ll show you. I’m not one for just words myself.”

“What?”

*Wham!*

As Ghislaine grinned and swung his fist, the nearest mercenary fell to the ground with a nosebleed.

“Don’t kill him. They’ll all be on our side eventually.”

At Ghislaine’s words, the knights swiftly pulled short clubs from their belongings. They were special subduing rods made of Galbarium.

*Zing!*

Blue light began to emanate from the rods held by the knights.

The mercenaries gasped in shock, “M-mana?”

“Are these guys knights?”

“Get them!”

The mercenaries had the numerical advantage. Experienced as mercenaries, they rushed in before the knights could properly form their ranks.

*Bam! Bam! Bam!*

“Grrk!”

The mercenaries fell one after another as they clashed. But the narrow space limited the knights from forming a proper line.

The skilled mercenaries quickly exploited the gaps.

“I’ve got him!”

Some mercenaries grabbed the waists of the knights and pushed them forward aggressively.

“Uh? Uh?”

The Penris knights, unless they exploded their mana, remained at a beginner’s level without their weapons.

While they had improved vastly compared to before, they were at a disadvantage in a fight where they couldn’t use their weapons or kill the enemy.

Finally, a few knights who couldn’t bear it fell over. As mercenaries piled on top of the fallen knights, they couldn’t get up.

“Hey! Get back! You bastards!”

“Just trample them!”

Both sides yelled at each other as they swung their hands and feet wildly. Outside, mercenaries wielding clubs continued to swarm in.

*Boom!*

The knights pinned beneath the mercenaries ultimately had no choice but to explode their mana. When they suddenly became stronger, the mercenaries were taken aback.

“Whew! What’s going on?!”

The few knights who had taken a beating stood up angrily, swinging their clubs once again. They had to control their strength to avoid killing anyone.

But if they held back too much, those who had fallen could get back up. Thus, they were having a considerable struggle.

Ghislaine, batting away the mercenaries attacking him, clicked his tongue softly, “Tsk tsk, why are they still in such a sorry state?”

No matter how much they trained, it never seemed good enough. If he let them have any room at all, they would become lazy, so he couldn’t let his guard down.

“I need to wrap this up soon.”

Determined to return to his territory and work those guys over some more, Ghislaine stamped his foot on the ground.

*Bam!*

“Ugh!”

As Ghislaine’s footprint deeply pressed into the floor, the building quaked. Mercenaries and knights alike fell over.

They stumbled slightly, but only Dominic managed to remain standing.

Ghislaine quickly moved and swung at the back of the poor mercenaries’ heads.

*Thud!*

“Cough!”

*Thud!*

“Cough!”

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

With each strike Ghislaine delivered, the mercenaries who hadn’t mastered mana rolled their eyes back and fainted.

His control of mana was at the same level as in his previous life. Adjusting his strength to faint opponents was no challenge for him.

Although the Drake Mercenary Group was formidable, only a few of the executives had properly mastered mana.

“Block the door!”

As Ghislaine fainted all the internal mercenaries in an instant, the knights blocked the broken door.

The mercenaries outside kept trying to rush in, but it was hard to penetrate through the knights blocking the narrow entry.

Dominic watched the scene in disbelief.

“W-why are the knights here?”

They looked like beginner knights, but they were still mana-wielding knights. Moreover, the pretender himself was of such incredible caliber that even Dominic struggled to estimate.

As his mind swirled, he found himself unable to act. It was hard to move carelessly, not understanding the situation.

Was Martin coming to bear down on them? Then what about the hostages? Or was it another noble filled with resentment? Or a competing illegitimate son of the marquise fighting against Martin?

He was overwhelmed with thoughts and couldn’t stabilize himself when Ghislaine suddenly reached out.

“Throw away these worthless things. I’ll give you something better. Honestly, it feels a bit… off.”

The door to the precious item box opened, and items began to float out, following Ghislaine’s gesture.

“Uh, uh, uh?”

Dominic found himself waving his hands in mid-air, bewildered. How could objects move through the air on their own?

Suddenly, he recalled the writings he had seen in “Chronicles of Count Penris.” It had stated that Count Penris could control nearby objects at will.

“Wait a minute!”

He needed to check before the precious items vanished.

However, Ghislaine ignored Dominic’s words and clenched his fist towards the precious items piled before him.

Feeling a chill, Dominic shouted anxiously, “N-no!”

“Yes.”

*Crack!*

All the precious items tore and shattered at once. As he watched the pieces of his precious items fall lifelessly to the ground, Dominic cried out in despair.

“You bastard! How dare you destroy my precious belongings!”

These items, how had he gathered them? How much time and money had he spent to collect them!

Dominic didn’t simply possess these items as a fan. They were his only refuge, soothing his weary heart each time he felt exhausted.

The one before him had utterly destroyed the treasures of a ‘collector’ who could never understand the sentiment behind them.

“Die!”

Blinded by rage, Dominic charged at Ghislaine and swung his sword.

*Slash!*

An incredible speed and a clean strike.

He was better than most of the knights of Penris. Ghislaine, too, had an expression of admiration for a moment.

But even such skill could not match Ghislaine.

“Since you’re drunk, you should get some sleep. Let’s have a talk when you’re sober.”

*Thud!*

Ghislaine effortlessly dodged the attack and delivered a hard punch to Dominic’s temple.

“Urgh…”

Dominic had never felt such a powerful shock in his life. Just one hit, and his head spun.

‘Ah… I feel dizzy.’

To think he would faint from a single punch.

As Dominic collapsed, he caught a glimpse of Ghislaine’s eyes, glowing with a red light.

“…So it was real.”

*Thud.*

With those final words, Dominic fainted.