Ch#148
Tese tan.
The monster who formed <Trebaga> and propelled it to the top of the rankings in just one year.
Every mercenary in Talochioum, Reaper included, knew that name.
To be precise, they only knew the name.
Tese tan's identity was unclear.
There was just the name, with nothing revealed about his age, hometown, or family relations in particular.
"He's crazy in all sorts of ways."
Reaper habitually flicked the thumb portion of his gauntlet, producing a snap.
Across from him, Basto Paerix—the rumored executive of Agavert—watched him with a tense face.
"You'd better prepare. With that guy's personality, it's obvious he'll come stirring up trouble at Agavert."
Reaper was visiting the capital after a very long time.
He planned to meet a few nobles who had recently given him personal requests and exchange some spare small monster cores at the reward office.
But.
'Th-they're out of gold coins now...... I only have about ten small monster cores' worth.'
The reward office had no rewards left.
At first, he thought it was absurd.
And rightly so, since Reaper had never once seen the reward office run out of gold coins.
But after hearing Ornel's explanation,
'Agavert took over 40,000 gold in the last few weeks? In just a few weeks! The vault isn't just empty—it's scraped clean!'
40,000 gold.
That was enough for a large-scale mercenary group to live luxuriously for a full year without working.
An amount that would still leave plenty after paying personal salaries to every member monthly.
And yet, that sum had been claimed by a mere six-member mercenary group in just a few weeks?
Then, he suddenly recalled a story he'd picked up at the border not long ago.
'Agavert—you've met them too, right?'
Every mercenary at the border had been talking without fail about the Necromancer King and his subordinates.
'Tese tan's pissed off good. Doesn't like Agavert climbing up so fast.'
Only then did Reaper piece together what was happening in the empire.
Tese tan was strong.
The supreme powerhouse who could solo a large monster and come away with just a few minor scratches.
But that made it all the more strange.
"That guy's a stubborn one. Obsessively so. For a strong guy, he lacks any leeway, you could say."
Tese tan was abnormally obsessed with rankings.
As if sieging mana stones and slaying monsters was the sole purpose of his life.
"Even among mercenaries, there's a lot of talk. Normally, once you climb a bit, you settle in and take it easy, but that guy never stops rampaging."
Some even said that was precisely why Tese tan could maintain the number one rank.
But Reaper disagreed.
"He reminds me of a moth to a flame. The moment someone threatens his position, he charges like a rabid dog. Even our <Grim Reaper> went through hell because of it once."
Back when <Trebaga> was rapidly climbing the ranks.
Tese tan would pick fights with Reaper without fail every time they crossed paths.
Challenging him to bets on important requests or telling him to prepare to drop to the bottom.
There was no sign of normal courtesy or procedure, even if you searched with a fine-tooth comb.
It had been the same back then.
He'd just offered a handshake to get off on the right foot since they'd met anyway.
'Handshake? Why the hell would I shake hands with you.'
'Hey. What's with that attitude to someone you've just met......'
'I didn't become a mercenary to idly make friends. If you're going to slay monsters, go slay them. Sticking your hand out leisurely to a rival? No wonder your group's in such a state with a leader like you.'
It was an attitude so absurd that even a seasoned veteran like Reaper was left speechless.
Too ridiculous to even get angry about.
Afterward, Reaper pondered that incident deeply.
And came to a simple conclusion.
Tese tan had acted that way because he saw Reaper as an easy mark.
But no.
Tese tan treated every mercenary the same way.
Always droning on about 'efficiency' or 'goals' or 'competition,' never indulging in camaraderie or personal chit-chat.
"In short, he's a lunatic. Anyway."
Reaper shook his head and stared at Basto.
He rested his gauntleted hand on his waist.
"So with a guy like that, what wouldn't he do to the first group threatening his spot? That's why I'm telling you to stay alert. You'll definitely be caught off guard at first contact."
"He's that unpredictable?"
Reaper nodded without a hint of hesitation.
"Unpredictable doesn't even cover it—he's dangerous. If you were just some run-of-the-mill group, I wouldn't bother saying this. But you guys......"
Reaper scanned the interior of Agavert's base, which resembled a noble mansion.
The vast space.
Luxurious decorations and expensive treasures hanging on the walls.
Despite being newly established, Agavert had already achieved much.
According to Olech, faster than <Trebaga> at its peak.
"You really seem like the ones who could push Tese tan aside."
Basto nodded lightly in response instead of answering.
"Thanks for the advice."
Reaper waved it off as no big deal.
Then, as he turned to leave, he spotted something and widened his eyes.
"Necromancer King. You were inside?"
The Necromancer King, whom he'd thought was absent, was coming down the second-floor stairs.
Reaper approached gladly.
"First time since the Weaponless Zone? Any lingering effects from being trapped in subspace......"
But for some reason, the Necromancer King glared at Reaper and puffed out her cheeks.
Then,
"......The Necromancer King doesn't talk to bad people. Doesn't greet them either."
"What?"
Tie huffed past Reaper.
"Talking behind backs is bad! Calling someone a lunatic, saying they're crazy—that makes you even worse!"
Tie stomped straight into the kitchen.
An absurd breath escaped Reaper's mouth.
"I came to warn you to be careful......"
Reaper stared bewilderedly at the kitchen where Tie had vanished, for a while.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Oracadia Sanctuary on the Northern Continent.
"......What do you mean? The national request we got after two years is canceled?"
Tese tan rose from the altar in the empty sanctuary.
Aleric sighed.
Victor behind him, Libia, and the other members all wore dark expressions.
"Leader. It's all because of that Necromancer King, you know? Everything was going well......!"
Libia cried out indignantly.
Tese tan silently descended the altar.
He asked Aleric in a lowered voice.
"I asked if we lost the national request to Agavert."
Aleric answered reluctantly.
"......Yes. The association won't admit it, but that's the most likely scenario."
"Reason?"
"Because Agavert's been sieging mana stones around the capital—no, across the entire empire—at a frightening pace these past few weeks. They're already rank 4, so attention's shifting there......"
"Hahaha."
At that moment, Tese tan burst into laughter.
His face, after rubbing his eyes briefly, now burned with cold fury.
"This is fucking insane."
Tese tan had left Talochioum the day after meeting Valentis in the Weaponless Zone.
For various reasons.
First, seeing Valentis had stirred an inner turmoil he absolutely shouldn't feel again.
Second,
"We came all the way here to get the emperor's attention. Some members even got injured......"
Because the Northern Continent had many areas where mana stones clustered, due to its nature.
"Leader. That doesn't erase the achievements our group has built. It's just overshadowed by Agavert......"
"Overshadowed means it might as well not exist."
Tese tan hated clustered mana stones.
He had experience losing his mother while leaving three clustered ones behind in Talochioum's wastelands.
But he'd come to the Northern Continent anyway to shorten the time.
The path to mercenary recognition was increasing siege volume.
To do that, he needed to shorten siege times, and the best way was finding clustered mana stones.
Until recently, everything seemed to be going well.
Two days ago, he'd even gotten contact from the association after a long time.
A national request they might entrust to Trebaga, so prepare to return home.
But,
"Canceled? Because of Agavert? Because of the Necromancer King, that freak?"
Tese tan's eyes darkened and grew icy cold.
