A mercenary screamed as he collapsed, his leg broken by Gillian’s attack.

 

At that moment, five other mercenaries who had been watching slowly stood up, exuding a menacing aura.

 

“These bastards have lost their minds just because we’re nobles.”

 

“You think we’d be scared just because you’re nobles?”

 

“Looks like you haven’t heard the rumors about who we are.”

 

The mercenaries each drew their weapons and started approaching the two men.

 

The reason they were called “Mad Dogs.”

 

They wouldn’t hesitate to fight if something didn’t sit well with them, even if the opponent was a noble.

 

In short, Cerberus Mercenary Corps was a group filled with rebellious scoundrels.

 

As such, they could not be properly controlled, and since they constantly clashed with their employers, their success rate in fulfilling requests was inevitably low.

 

“They really are reckless,” Ghislain remarked with a cruel smile on his face.

 

They were the perfect type to be sent into the Forest of Beasts.

 

To face mindless monsters, men as rough as them were necessary.

 

Ghislain glanced at Gillian and spoke.
“Don’t kill them.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Gillian clashed with the five “Mad Dogs,” who had drawn their weapons.

 

Even though there were many of them, and they were skilled and close to the level of knights-in-training, none of them were a match for Gillian.

 

In an instant, their arms and legs were twisted, and they fell to the ground.

 

Seeing this, the remaining mercenaries—even those who had been sleeping in their tents—stood up and grabbed their weapons, crawling out to surround the two men.

 

“Don’t think you’ll leave here in one piece.”

 

“You messed with us, so I hope you’re prepared.”

 

“You’re just a bratty noble with too much confidence.”

 

Realizing that Gillian’s skill wasn’t to be taken lightly, the mercenaries’ eyes changed.
No longer looking at him like a prey they could easily toy with, they now faced him cautiously, as if confronting a wild beast.

 

Ghislain, noticing the change, smiled in satisfaction.

 

“It’s surprising to see this side of them.”

 

Despite their wild nature, they seemed capable of cooperating when faced with danger.
Though they lived up to their reputation as troublemakers, they appeared to be quite useful in battle.

 

“Well, I guess that’s why your mercenary group hasn’t been disbanded despite all the trouble you’ve caused. Stop attacking and call your leader.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m going to hire you. But if I turn all of you into cripples, you’ll be useless to me, won’t you?”

 

“You crazy bastard!”

 

The Cerberus mercenaries were beyond shocked.

 

They couldn’t believe that this young noble, emboldened by having a decent bodyguard, dared to act so arrogantly.

 

“Let’s just chop him up right here.”

 

“Don’t even think about leaving here alive.”

 

“There’s a reason we live on the outskirts. If you die here, they won’t even find your body.”

 

The mercenaries, with cruel eyes, slowly closed in on the two, tightening their encirclement.

 

Gillian slowly drew the sword hanging from his waist.

 

‘This time, the Young Master made a mistake. It would be better to find another mercenary corps.’

 

From Gillian’s perspective, there was no proper way to hire these people. He intended to kill all of the mercenaries of the Cerberus Mercenary Corps. As one of the Mad Dogs had said, this place was on the outskirts anyway, with no passersby. It was truly a situation where no one would care if someone died.

 

In this tense moment, a young man strode out from a tent beyond the group of mercenaries.

 

“Why are you looking for me?”

 

As he appeared, even the bloodthirsty mercenaries seemed to calm down a little, each stepping back a bit.

 

The first thing that caught the eye was his fiery red hair, which looked as if it were ablaze. His defiant gaze warned that anyone who recklessly provoked him might be bitten back.

 

Ghislain looked at the man and asked, “Are you the leader?”

 

“Yes, I am Kaor, leader of the Cerberus Mercenary Corps.”

 

“I’m here to make a request.”

 

“You come to make a request, and yet you dare treat my subordinates like this?”

 

As Kaor growled, Ghislain glared back at him.

 

“Are you upset because your taming didn’t work? You’d better play your tricks in moderation. You could all end up dead if you meet the wrong opponent.”

 

Kaor hesitated for a moment under the cold stare. However, he quickly put on a fierce expression.

 

“Do you think I’d be scared just because you’re a noble? I could kill you here and flee to another country, and that would be the end of it.”

 

“I like your spirit.”

 

Ghislain chuckled and continued.

 

“Thanks to someone, I’ve been delayed quite a while. I don’t want to waste more time arguing, so I’ll get straight to the point. I want to hire you for the task of developing the Forest of Beasts.”

 

Kaor furrowed his brows momentarily, then asked incredulously, “The Forest of Beasts? You mean the one attached to the Ferdium Estate?”

 

“Yes, I plan to develop that area.”

 

“Is the lord of Ferdium looking for people?”

 

“No, this is my project.”

 

“Who exactly are you?”

 

“I am Ghislain, the Young lord of Ferdium.”

 

The unexpected answer momentarily took aback Kaor, then burst into laughter.

 

“Ha ha ha! That delinquent prince? A brat like you is going to develop the Forest of Beasts? Ha ha ha!”

 

After laughing for a long time, Kaor fixed Ghislain with a menacing look and said, “Get lost. I’m not going to risk my life for some brat. I’d rather take part in a territorial war.”

 

The Cerberus Mercenary Corps was known for accepting dangerous requests compared to other mercenary groups, but that still depended on the employer’s capabilities. If they had to move according to the whims of a novice, the risk would be higher, so Kaor refused.

 

At Kaor’s response, Ghislain gave a faint smile.

 

“You’re more of a coward than I thought.”

 

“What?”

 

“You’re not afraid of nobles, but you’re scared of the monsters huddled together in the forest?”

 

“You bastard, watch your mouth…!”

 

As the two men glared at each other, the atmosphere grew tense once again.

 

Gillian prepared to draw his sword while the other mercenaries tightened their grip on their weapons, ready to attack at any moment.

 

Kaor, who had been twitching his lips for a while, finally turned around and threw out a comment.

 

“You’re not even worth killing, brat. I’ll just let you go, but pay for the treatment fees and get lost.”

 

Kaor intended to just ignore Ghislain and send him on his way. He had no interest in dealing with a noble brat who couldn’t even distinguish between heaven and earth.

 

At that moment, Ghislain quietly spoke, looking at Kaor’s back.

 

“I request ‘Moriana’s Recognition’ from the leader of the Cerberus Mercenary Corps.”

 

The mercenaries around them froze with dumbfounded expressions when they heard this.

 

“What, what?!”

 

“Does that noble bastard even know what he’s asking for?”

 

Kaor stopped in his tracks and turned around to glare at Ghislain.

 

It wasn’t just the mercenaries who were stunned—Gillian, too, was shocked and shouted in alarm.

 

“Your Grace! What are you saying!”

 

What Ghislain requested was an ancient betting method that had been passed down among mercenaries. The rules were simple.

 

Both combatants’ arms would be tied together in a small circle, and they’d fight with nothing but a single dagger. Mana couldn’t be used, and stepping outside the circle meant immediate defeat.

 

Although it was a simple bet with only two rules, even experienced mercenaries avoided it.

 

The limited space and restricted movement made dodging nearly impossible. A few stabs with the dagger, and death were almost guaranteed.

 

In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to win the bet only to die soon afterward because of this rule.

 

Kaor twitched his eyes as he glared at Ghislain.

 

“You noble brat. Do you even know what you’re asking for?”

 

“I know well enough. If I win, you follow me.”

 

This method was usually reserved for life-or-death bets between mercenaries. Only the truly insane used it, but once the request was made, it couldn’t be refused.

 

If one declined, it would be as good as admitting they were weaker than their opponent.

 

For someone of Kaor’s rank, avoiding the duel would mean losing the trust of his subordinates, and the organization itself would begin to crumble.

 

After all, Kaor also took his position from the previous leader through this very method.

 

‘This’ll be fun!’

 

After their brief shock, the mercenaries began to eye Kaor with excitement.

 

When you thought about it, it was a pretty entertaining spectacle—a fight between a noble brat and their leader.

 

They might have tried to stop their leader or laugh at Ghislain if they were normal mercenaries.

 

But if that were the case, they wouldn’t be called the Mad Dogs.

 

Kaor gritted his teeth at the mercenaries’ reaction.

 

“You’re no mercenary. And yet, you dare to challenge me with a mercenary’s method? Do you want to steal my position, noble brat?”

 

“I’m not interested in a shabby mercenary corps like yours. I just want to prove that I’m no brat. And what better way to show it than using a mercenary’s method, don’t you think?”

 

Kaor’s eyes began to gleam with a murderous intent.

 

If I refused the kid’s request in front of my subordinates, my authority would plummet.
It was already hard enough to manage this bunch of lunatics. If that happened, I’d be devoured in no time.

 

“Kuk, fine. The young noble wants to be recognized in the way of mercenaries, so there’s no need to argue any further. You won’t regret it, even if it costs you your life?”

 

“Of course. But if I win, you and your men will accept the job and follow me.”

 

“Fine. It’s a deal. Your escort and my men will be the witnesses of this duel.”

 

“I accept.”

 

As Kaor agreed and the mercenaries began preparing for the duel, Gillian stepped in front of Ghislain, shouting loudly.

 

“No! What are you thinking!?”

 

Gillian’s face was flushed bright red. He finally understood how Belinda felt. His young lord was constantly putting himself in danger.

 

‘Why does it have to be like this?!’

 

Gillian couldn’t make any sense of it.

 

Wanting to enter the Forest of Beasts was one thing—youthful bravado could explain that.
But risking his life on such a dangerous wager? It was beyond anything Gillian could comprehend.

 

Even so, Ghislain was the man to whom he owed his lifelong loyalty. He couldn’t let him get caught up in this perilous game and die here.

 

“Then let me do it! My Lord, please stand back!”

 

Having spent years as a mercenary himself, Gillian knew all too well just how dangerous this duel was.

 

Even for someone of his caliber, it was something he’d prefer to avoid if possible.

 

This duel prohibited the use of mana, meaning the fight had to be based purely on strength and skill. If there was a significant difference in ability, it might be manageable. But if the opponent were even somewhat skilled, Gillian would be putting himself at serious risk.

 

Despite his heated response, Ghislain calmly replied.

 

“It’s fine. I’ll do it. Trust me.”

 

“No! I cannot allow that.”

 

Gillian was firm. Ghislain met his gaze with a serious expression.

 

“Gillian, this is something I need to do. I know I don’t seem reliable right now, but please, believe in me.”

 

Gillian was left speechless.

 

There was no sign of recklessness or boredom in Ghislain’s eyes.
It was the gaze of someone who possessed an unshakable conviction.

 

Unable to resist that look, Gillian nodded and stepped back.

 

But that didn’t mean he would let his lord face such danger alone.

 

His eyes sharpened, filled with a lethal determination.

 

‘If even a single blade touches the Young Master, I’ll cut off their heads on the spot.’

 

Gillian gripped his sword, gathering mana and focusing his entire mind.

 

If it looked like Ghislain would be struck even once, he was prepared to split Kaor’s head open and eliminate everyone here.

 

Whether Ghislain was aware of Gillian’s resolve or not, he stepped into the small circle, hands bound with Kaor’s.

 

Kaor stared at Ghislain with a gleaming intensity.

 

“Are you done with your melodrama? Your chance to flee is gone. I’ll make sure you understand just how foolish it was for a noble to challenge a mercenary’s way of battle.”

 

Kaor fully intended to kill Ghislain.

 

For a noble to choose, a mercenary’s duel was sheer arrogance. It was a blatant insult, and Kaor had no intention of letting that slide.

 

Once the preparations were complete, Kaor glared at Ghislain and spoke.

 

“You must have heard about this somewhere and thought you could just charge in without fear… but I’ve done this five times.”

 

Even for a mercenary, such duels were rare, often a once-in-a-lifetime event. But Kaor had survived five of them at a young age.

 

The fact that he had emerged victorious in all five was why he could stand here now. It was a testament to both his ruthlessness and his exceptional skill.

 

However, Ghislain smirked and responded casually.

 

“I’ve done it over a hundred times.”

 

“What?”

 

As Kaor stood dumbfounded, the mercenary standing beside them shouted loudly.

 

“Begin!”

 

At the signal, both Ghislain and Kaor’s daggers flew toward each other.