Trust Me and Leave It to Me (2)
Count Schwarz rose from his seat, his cold gaze fixed on Ghislain.
"You said your name was Alpoi? As a token of declaring war, I should start by sending your severed head."
At his gesture, the knights and soldiers around him surrounded Ghislain and his group.
Ghislain's companions instinctively reached for their weapons.
They weren't sure how things had escalated to this point again, but by now, they were used to Ghislain's antics and simply went along with it.
Tension crackled between the two groups. The moment Count Schwarz gave the order, a battle would break out.
Breaking the suffocating silence, Ghislain spoke.
"If you kill me, you're only doing Count Bonedor a favor."
"What?"
"Why do you think he sent a mercenary to deliver the declaration of war? He knew Count Schwarz would kill the envoy."
"......."
"Count Bonedor anticipated this outcome and sent me. But if you act exactly as he predicted, what do you think will happen?"
"........"
"He'll mock you, saying you played right into his hands. After all, none of his own men would have actually died. Are you really going to let that happen?"
"Hmm…."
Count Schwarz frowned. Now that he thought about it, Ghislain had a point.
He and Bonedor already had a terrible relationship. Acting according to his rival's expectations, no matter the situation, would be a grave insult.
If war broke out, Bonedor would surely rub it in at every opportunity. Just imagining that smug face was unbearable.
Ghislain had just given Count Schwarz a new justification.
"If you let me go, I'll deliver your message to Count Bonedor. When he realizes he miscalculated, he'll be furious."
Ghislain's smooth words worked. In the end, Count Schwarz nodded.
"Hmph… Well, there's no need for someone like you, who has nothing to do with our lands, to sacrifice yourself. Fine, I'll let you go. But make sure Bonedor understands my intent clearly."
"Understood. We'll deliver your message and then step away from the conflict between you two."
"You'd better. If you want to live, that is."
Count Schwarz suppressed his anger and sat down. Continuing to argue with a mere mercenary was beneath him.
Immediately, Ghislain set off for Count Bonedor's territory. Upon arrival, he spoke with an air of frustration.
"Count Schwarz is a truly ruthless lord. He refuses to back down from war, no matter what."
"Hmm… So that bastard really intends to see this through to the end."
Count Bonedor's expression hardened.
From the beginning, he had anticipated that conflict would break out sooner or later—Schwarz had provoked him too many times.
He had hoped to avoid total war, but if Schwarz was already committed, there was no choice.
"Inform everyone. War is now unavoidable. Tell the people to prepare themselves."
Their long standing enmity left little doubt about what Schwarz would do once war began. The people had to seek refuge in the fortress and prepare for battle.
Ghislain declared boldly,
"Our mercenary group will assist you, Count."
"That's good to hear. Then let's crush them together!"
The atmosphere grew heated, with the count and his vassals brimming with fighting spirit.
Ghislain put on a solemn expression and spoke.
"There's something I must reveal to everyone. Our group… is not an ordinary band of mercenaries."
"What do you mean?"
"We are… a secret unit of the Empire. We've been disguising ourselves as mercenaries."
The statement stunned Count Bonedor and his men. The idea that empire forces would appear here was unthinkable.
Meanwhile, Ghislain's own companions once again stared at him in bewilderment.
Count Bonedor asked in a trembling voice,
"You're really… an empire's secret unit?"
"Yes."
"Why would the Empire come here?"
Suspicious gazes turned toward Ghislain. If this wasn't the most blatant fraud, nothing was.
Yet Ghislain answered shamelessly.
"We came to test the Empire's secret weapon."
"A… secret weapon?"
"Yes. The Empire has been developing a powerful weapon to combat the Demon Realm. The finest imperial mages and dwarves collaborated to create it."
"Oh… Ooooh…"
Even hearing about it sounded impressive.
Ghislain's eyes gleamed as he continued.
"It's finally completed, and we were looking for a suitable battlefield to test its performance."
"Then… that means…"
"Indeed. When we heard of this impending conflict, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to deploy the weapon."
"But didn't you try to mediate at first?"
"Of course. Mediation was our priority—we had to determine whether the conflict stemmed from mere misunderstandings. However, when we saw that Count Schwarz was determined to go to war, we decided to side with the noble and wise Count Bonedor."
"Hmm, well… I suppose I am quite noble."
Bonedor's cheeks lifted slightly at the unexpected flattery.
Not missing his reaction, Ghislain clenched his fist and declared,
"The Empire will not tolerate unauthorized wars. This is the perfect chance to unveil our secret weapon to the world and demonstrate the Empire's might!"
"Hmm…"
Though Ghislain's words sounded plausible, Count Bonedor still looked doubtful.
It was only natural. Who would believe someone suddenly declaring themselves an imperial secret agent?
Seeing this, Ghislain gave a reassuring smile.
"Just wait a little longer. The rest of our unit and the weapon are stationed nearby. I'll bring them here at once."
"Hmm, very well. I'll decide after seeing this weapon."
"Of course. I'll return shortly."
With that, Ghislain and his companions left the castle.
As they moved, Kyle spoke up, looking extremely uneasy.
"Wait, wasn't the Salvation Church priest hoping for these two lords to fight? But you just started the war yourself! Are you sure this is okay? Is this really the plan?"
Though he had received a quick explanation after leaving, things were escalating so fast that his anxiety wouldn't settle.
"Relax. This is the best way to lure that bastard out."
Even as Ghislain reassured them confidently, his companions couldn't shake their unease.
The plan had been thrown together in a hurry to lure out the Salvation Church priest—would it really work?
But as always, they had no choice but to follow wherever Ghislain led.
Nearby, Ghislain had gathered about 200 mercenaries.
Yulian led them back to Count Bonedor.
Upon seeing him, Bonedor asked,
"Hmm? Where is that friend of yours Claude?"
"Ah… He's busy with another secret mission. He'll come as soon as he's done."
"Hmm. And your name was?"
"Kaor… Count."
Bonedor still eyed Yulian with suspicion.
Everything about them seemed dubious—their leader, who had been so outspoken, had suddenly disappeared. That only made them seem even shadier.
"Show me this so-called secret weapon."
"Understood."
Yulian led Bonedor and his vassals to where the mercenaries were waiting.
There, a massive wooden crate was loaded onto a large cart.
Seeing its sheer size, Count Bonedor's eyes flickered with anticipation.
If imperial mages and dwarves had crafted it, it had to be something extraordinary.
Yulian hesitated before giving the order.
"Unveil the weapon."
The mercenaries pried open the wooden crate.
Inside was a crude, makeshift construction of metal and wooden planks.
Count Bonedor stared in disbelief.
"That's… a dragon?"
"…It looks more like a chicken."
"..."
For a moment, silence engulfed the surroundings.
The structure was large, but its craftsmanship was so horrendous that anyone would find it unbearable to look at.
It was easier to believe that someone had just thrown together a pile of junk, which had accidentally taken that shape.
Count Bonedor muttered unconsciously,
"It's ugly… far too ugly… How is this supposed to be a secret weapon…?"
His doubts deepened. It was impossible to believe that dwarves had created such a piece of garbage.
In the awkward atmosphere, Kyle lowered his head and cursed inwardly.
'Damn it! I knew it! Who the hell would fall for this? Anyone who does is an idiot!'
That thing had been hastily put together by the mercenaries while they waited. Since none of them had any sense of aesthetics, it was only natural that it looked hideous.
Ghislain had pressured them to finish it as quickly as possible, leaving no time for refinement.
Yet even upon seeing its shoddy exterior, Ghislain remained unfazed. There was always a way to turn things around.
Grabbing Yulian by the shoulder, he said,
"We don't have time to fix it. Your face is our credibility, so just convince them. Once they see its power, they'll accept it."
"......"
"Just flash them a smile. That'll do the trick."
Yulian couldn't understand it at all, but he had no choice. He simply decided to follow Ghislain's lead.
As expected, the expressions of Count Bonedor and his vassals hardened as they took in the ridiculous sight before them.
It seemed they felt insulted, perhaps even enraged.
With a chilling gaze, Count Bonedor asked,
"That thing… is the Empire's secret weapon? Are you playing a joke on me?"
The knights surrounding him grasped the hilts of their swords, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Without hesitation, Yulian shook his head and replied,
"It was designed to look this way intentionally—to ensure that no one would take notice of it."
"Intentionally?"
"Yes. Until its official unveiling, its true nature had to remain hidden."
It was so terrible that it was more likely to attract attention. Its bizarre appearance made it impossible to look away.
With a gentle voice, Yulian continued,
"There is no need for concern. Once you witness its power, you will be more than satisfied."
Then, he smiled—a smile he had practiced countless times under Ghislain's instruction.
That smile carried immense persuasive power.
Yulian was devastatingly handsome just standing still, but when he smiled, it was as if the entire world brightened.
For a brief moment, everyone was dazed. Some even imagined flower petals fluttering around him.
Soon, approving nods spread among them, their expressions softening.
"Yes, yes. Let's see what it can do. One mustn't judge a book by its cover."
Despite his words, it was obvious that Count Bonedor had been swayed by Yulian's looks.
Seeing this, Kyle lowered his head again and screamed internally,
"This filthy world! This unfair world!"
Osval, too, lowered his head and cried out in his mind,
"A revolution is necessary! Forget wealth redistribution—what we need is appearance redistribution!"
As the atmosphere calmed, Yulian spoke,
"With this war, we intend to reveal this new weapon to the world. The more people who witness it, the better."
"Hmm, you seem quite confident. Very well, I'll summon my castle staff and the nearby townspeople. Let them all see it."
Thus, a large crowd gathered to witness the secret weapon.
Yulian then turned to Count Bonedor and asked,
"Is there a building that can be destroyed? I'd like to demonstrate its true power."
"Hmm… There's an old tower behind the castle. I was planning to demolish it and rebuild anyway. Are you saying this… contraption can destroy it?"
"Yes. Let's move to that location."
The weapon was mounted on a large cart, making it relatively easy to transport. Several mercenaries helped push it along.
Watching it move so smoothly, Count Bonedor remarked,
"Hmm, it seems rather light for its size."
"Indeed. It was crafted by dwarves, after all."
Yulian expertly continued his explanations, guiding the crowd to the designated area.
Upon arrival, he began manipulating various parts of the weapon—pulling out wooden panels, adjusting levers up and down.
At a glance, it looked as if he was genuinely operating a complex mechanism.
Once he finished, Yulian turned to Count Bonedor.
"The most remarkable aspect of this weapon is that even ordinary people can use it."
"Anyone?"
"Yes. Even soldiers without mana can operate it. Please select someone to give it a try."
At Count Bonedor's gesture, a soldier stepped forward.
Yulian looked at him and said,
"I've already set everything up. Just press this lever here."
The soldier nodded and pressed down on the lever.
Clunk!
With a heavy mechanical sound, light suddenly burst from various points on the structure.
The gathered onlookers widened their eyes in astonishment.
Excitement and anticipation filled the air as they wondered what would happen next.
Fwoosh!
At that moment, from the gaping maw of the chicken-like dragon, a fireball shot forth.
It expanded rapidly as it streaked toward its target.
BOOOOOM!
The fireball struck the tower dead center. The structure didn't just collapse—it was completely reduced to dust.
The sheer, unimaginable power of the weapon left the crowd gaping in shock.
Silence hung over the scene. No one had expected such devastation.
Yulian swept back his bangs and smiled.
"This is the Empire's new weapon—the Dragon Cannon."
His acting skills had improved significantly since meeting Ghislain.
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