The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel

Chapter 70

“Just kill him.”

Jakal resolutely turned his head.

The more Arthur saw him act this way, the stronger his desire to make him his own person became.

He highly valued the fact that despite the war ending in defeat, Jakal hadn't fled and had infiltrated this place to save Yarve.

Furthermore, his skill was exceptional, to the point where no one but Arthur had detected him.

Most of all, Arthur was drawn to his refusal to betray Yarve, even when offered his life.

“I’ll give you more time to think.”

Arthur continued, looking at Yarve.

“Even if you haven’t lived a meaningful life, you should at least die a meaningful death.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?! I saved that dying beast and raised him to act like a human! He couldn’t repay that debt even if he tried until his dying breath! So abandon any thought of coaxing him!”

After Yarve shrieked, he shouted at Jakal too.

“Hey! Am I wrong? Answer me!”

Jakal kept his mouth tightly shut and said nothing.

“Does it make sense for a so-called Knight to be captured alongside his master instead of protecting him? You idiot! If you have a mouth, answer me!”

“Shut up! He infiltrated this place to save you!”

Arthur looked at him with contempt.

“Gasp!”

Yarve flinched in surprise and recoiled as his eyes met Arthur’s.

“Bark one more time.”

Arthur glared at him menacingly, then shifted his gaze to Jakal.

“Look at me.”

“Do you still have something to say?”

The moment Jakal looked at Arthur, his eyes trembled violently.

A golden Aura erupted from him.

“Th-this is…”

It was a phenomenon that appeared in those who had reached the level of a Sword Master.

Arthur met Jakal’s eyes and spoke.

“If you are a warrior, you must revere strength. I will become your guiding light. And I will make you reborn as a powerful warrior.”

Jakal regained his composure after a moment of wavering and replied.

“It might sound funny, but even though I am an assassin, I am a man who values Chivalry.”

“Become my comrade, not my slave or subordinate.”

“What? Comrade?”

The moment Jakal was flustered, Yarve bellowed.

“What kind of trickery is this?! Hey! Get a grip! Don’t ever fall for his words!”

“I warned you, didn’t I?”

Arthur summoned a Sig Sauer to his left hand and aimed it at Yarve. Yarve glared with wide eyes and shrieked.

“Fine! Kill me! If I die, this place will become a sea of fire.”

“Stop barking.”

Bang!

“Aargh!”

Yarve clutched his thigh and collapsed.

Blood gushed from the spot where the Aura had pierced through.

“What have you done?!”

Jakal, who had remained calm until now, suddenly stood up in a fit of rage.

He exuded a thick murderous intent, pressuring Arthur.

Arthur snorted derisively, as if amused.

“You know you can’t do anything to me with your skill, don’t you?”

“Even so, I cannot just stand by and watch my master suffer.”

Jakal untied the ropes binding his hands and powerfully stretched out his arm towards Arthur.

Whoosh!

Something like a shuriken flew from his hand like lightning.

“A futile effort.”

Arthur extended his arm to the side without even looking and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The shuriken ricocheted away. He said, looking at Yarve.

“He’s too good for you.”

“S-s-save me…”

Yarve, his face pale, barely managed to speak in a dying voice.

Jakal, realizing his critical condition, urgently asked.

“Surely you’re not planning to leave him like this, are you?”

“Considering what he’s done so far, I think a miserable death wouldn’t be so bad for him.”

Arthur looked at Jakal and smiled coldly.

“Y-you…”

Jakal was utterly bewildered by this different side of Arthur, unlike anything he had seen before. Arthur asked, a smile playing on his lips.

“Did you say you valued Chivalry?”

“Why that, all of a sudden…?”

“You want to save him while upholding your own beliefs, don’t you?”

Arthur continued, looking at him with meaningful eyes.

“Prove it.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

Jakal stared intently at Arthur with a serious expression.

‘This will be easier than I thought.’

Arthur smiled inwardly and decided to put into action the plan he had conceived in his office before coming down here. He pulled out the war reparations document that Yarve had written from his pocket.

“Go to Nibon Territory and return.”

“What?”

Jakal’s eyes widened.

“Show your spirit of Chivalry. Prove that even an assassin can possess the spirit of Chivalry. How about it? And save him too.”

“With something like this, you’re trying to…”

Jakal gritted his teeth and glared.

“Ugh, save… me.”

Yarve’s screams continued to echo from the next room.

To save him, he had no choice but to accept Arthur’s proposal.

And in doing so, prove his own beliefs.

Above all, to demand the war reparations, a code set by Count Yarve and Sir Waiman was needed.

Only the parties involved knew this fact. But because he had always been by Count Yarve’s side like a shadow, he knew not only that fact but also the code.

Ultimately, he was the only one who could do it.

“Please… s-save…”

Yarve’s voice trailed off.

His life force had weakened to the point of being barely perceptible, and his ragged breathing was inaudible unless one listened closely.

Jakal urgently nodded his head.

“I’ll do it! So hurry and provide first aid.”

“A loyal subordinate.”

Arthur entered the place where Yarve was confined.

Then he took a potion from his pocket and poured it onto Yarve’s thigh. A clear green light shone from the wound.

“Don’t forget, you owe your life to him.”

“Ugh…”

Yarve groaned, then soon lost consciousness.

Arthur checked his condition, came out, and spoke to Jakal.

“You must keep your promise.”

“Don’t worry, I always keep my word.”

“Of course, you should.”

Arthur grinned and unlocked it.

As Jakal stepped out and extended his hand, Arthur handed him the war reparations document.

“Fifteen days should be enough, right?”

“Hmm.”

Jakal seemed to think carefully, then replied resolutely.

“It’s enough.”

“Good.”

“If I return and find even the slightest problem with Count Yarve, you will regret it.”

“A man’s word is worth a thousand gold.”

“What does that mean?”

“Engrave it in your mind. It means you must absolutely keep the words you speak.”

“A man’s word… worth a thousand gold…”

Jakal’s gaze deepened.

***

A short while later, Jakal departed for Nibon Territory.

From the castle wall, Arthur watched his receding figure as he vigorously rode his horse away, a faint smile on his lips.

He was certain that Jakal wouldn’t just run away.

Rather, he expected him to return sooner than the promised time to save his master.

But even if Jakal completed his mission, there was still a problem.

He would have proven his beliefs, and Arthur would have to release Yarve.

There was a reason for Arthur’s strong obsession with Jakal.

While being drawn to his words and actions played a big part, the more he saw him, the more a certain person came to mind.

Kim In-cheol, the youngest member of the Tier 1 team and a fellow Korean, just like himself.

He was the one responsible for reconnaissance, and like Jakal, he had strong convictions.

And the guilt of not being able to protect him was like a lump in his chest.

Perhaps because of that, whenever he saw him, In-cheol’s face seemed to overlap with Jakal’s.

“Hmm…”

As Arthur recalled old memories with In-cheol, he sensed a presence behind him.

“You were here.”

Millerf approached and bowed politely. Arthur cleared In-cheol from his mind and asked.

“Did you come because you’re curious why I let him go?”

“No, sir. I came for something else. And I trust my liege.”

“I will refuse blind loyalty.”

“That will not happen.”

Arthur nodded and turned around.

“I trust you too.”

“Thank you.”

Millerf wore a smile on his lips.

“I actually have something to discuss. Read this.”

Arthur took out a copy of the war reparations document from his pocket and handed it to him. Millerf unfolded it and examined it.

“Gasp!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“It’s a part I hadn’t even considered…”

“If things go according to plan, our iron shortage will be resolved, and our territory’s operating funds will be plentiful.”

“We shouldn’t rule out the possibility of him returning with troops. They say a person’s heart changes dozens of times a day.”

“From what I’ve seen, he’s not that kind of person.”

Arthur’s face was filled with trust in Jakal. Millerf became very curious about the source of that trust. Then, something suddenly came to mind.

“Did you perhaps set conditions regarding Yarve?”

“Yes.”

“If he is released, the full strength of House Julius will be revealed to the world. I would like to hear your reason for making such a decision.”

His face, which had been full of trust just moments ago, was now replaced by doubt. Arthur looked at Dark, who was leading the Devil's Corps out of the castle for reconnaissance, and replied.

“He said that a man born with the Aura of an assassin values the spirit of Chivalry.”

“It could be a trick to deceive you, my liege.”

“Perhaps. But seeing his attitude towards Yarve and the way he looked at me, I didn’t think he was lying.”

“Hmm…”

The moment he heard that, Millerf realized he had been too complacent in dealing with Yarve.

Arthur was only 20 years old, and just a few months ago, he had been a Scoundrel.

Even if he inherited Teheran's legacy, he couldn't possibly discern a person's true nature.

As worry clouded Millerf’s face, Arthur let out a small laugh and said.

“Just watch.”

“I wonder if you’re trusting him too much.”

“I trust him.”

“An enemy? And the personal Knight of an enemy commander?”

“I trust Jakal as a person, regardless of his affiliation. So trust me. Do you really think I’m foolish enough to put this place in danger?”

Millerf saw Arthur’s resolute eyes and bowed his head.

“Understood.”

“Now tell me the reason you came to find me.”

“I came to discuss the iron supply issue and Count Yarve. I will omit the iron supply matter and speak about Count Yarve.”

Millerf’s face became quite serious.

Arthur turned around and looked over the territory. In the familiar place, children were laughing and playing joyfully. Millerf approached him and looked at the same spot as Arthur.

“It is peaceful.”

“I want to keep watching this scene.”

“I have no doubt that my liege will make it so.”

“I think so too.”

Arthur wore a grim expression.

“A few days ago, I asked an acquaintance for information regarding Count Yarve.”

“It seems something special has come up.”

“I found out who is behind Count Yarve.”

“There’s a mastermind?”

It was an unexpected statement.

A subordinate who follows the Emperor has a mastermind behind him?

He had an ominous feeling that things were about to get complicated. Arthur looked at Millerf with a stern expression.

Millerf met his gaze with a serious face.

“It’s Marquis Valtre.”

“We are already at odds with the Emperor, so wouldn’t the situation not change much regardless of who it is?”

“He is Emperor Ruan’s half-brother.”

“...!”

“We’ve now become enemies with the only person in the Oscar Empire who could have been on our side.”

“Damn it! Things are getting tangled.”

As Arthur frowned, Yarve’s earlier shrieked words came to mind.

As he moved towards the stairs, Millerf urgently asked.

“Where are you going, sir?”

Arthur quickly descended the stairs, shouting.

“I have something to confirm!”