1.
Mercenary Union,
Branch Manager of the Babylonian Institute.
– You want a request?
Always maintaining a haughty attitude, she possessed skills and power that matched her demeanor.
– Mr. Red, please!!
– Get lost. What kind of B-rank nobody is ordering me around?
– Sorry, sorry!! I only operate around the institute area and didn’t know about this place since this is my first time here!!
Even the relatively famous B-rank mercenary group operating near the institute had to play their cards carefully to secure a good mission, and it was the same for me.
– Mr. Red, may I ask if there are any other decent missions besides this one?
– Shouldn’t you just take what’s given?
– Well… wouldn’t you know, I was wondering if there’s anything lower than this?
– What…? Not higher but lower? That’s D-rank stuff?
Even though my body became a mercenary’s, my mind remained the same!
– I’m scared.
– ?
– I hate fighting.
Since I’m so weak that I can only handle E or F-rank missions alone, I have to stick to those.
Anyhow, until now, ‘Ruby Red’ was merely someone who provided me with jobs and money, someone to respect.
“Because of the captain, everything’s ruined…!! We need the nobles to cover the cleanup costs for the Black Wolf group, you see…”
Suddenly, I’m being called the captain.
“In that case, you must take on ‘that mission’ which you rejected before!!”
“…That mission?”
What mission is that?
When I pretended to understand and asked, Ruby Red quickly nodded and added.
“It’s a mission His Majesty the Emperor assigned directly to the captain…!! We kept it secret because the members would’ve gone berserk if they found out…”
The Emperor, you say?
Could it be the one from the Babylonian story,
[Summary of the bad ending] where someone tries to cut off the gluttonous Emperor’s neck but fails due to interferences from unknown figures (likely the black curtain).
Is it about the soon-to-be-decapitated Emperor?
I couldn’t even form words, I was so shocked.
“Anyway, since the captain handled the last mission too forcefully, things turned out this way, so you must do this with me!! Understand!?”
…Let’s stay calm first.
Ruby Red might have noticed that I’ve taken over this body and is testing me.
– Are you Naham?
She’s as unpredictable as Laktea, a truly terrifying woman.
‘First, two things to confirm.’
First, whether Ruby Red truly belongs to the Black Wolf mercenaries.
Second, if she’s a member, why is she suddenly causing a fuss and blaming me for ruining a mission?
After thinking this through, I called up the Black Wolf group’s information in my mind.
[Black Wolf Mercenaries]
-Alias: Inefficient Mercenaries (Temporary), Garbage Heap (Temporary), Mercenary Kindergarten (Temporary)
-Rank: D (Temporary)
-Members
◆Captain: < Naham - ??? >
◆Vice Captain: < Laktea - White Sword Demon >
◆No1. < ??? >
◆No2. < ??? >
◆No3. < Hanlyang - Tal >
◆No4. < Luna - Persona >
◆No5. < ??? >
◆No6. < Ruby Red - ??? > (New!)
The appearance of Ruby Red’s name in what was an empty slot.
Since the system cannot lie, she truly is a member of the Black Wolf mercenaries.
Then, the next thing…
“Before that. What do you mean by ruining a mission? I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“Wha…!?”
Establishing attitude and testing her.
As I mentioned earlier, even though I have a mercenary’s body, my mind remains unchanged.
There’s nothing easier for someone like me, who has relied on reading others since childhood, than hiding myself while extracting information from them.
“Rather, I want to ask why you gave such a mission to Naham, someone who leads a D-rank group like Black Wolf, with an A-rank mission in the open.”
“Wha…!!”
“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear it.”
I stood up from the dining chair and slowly approached Ruby Red.
The mercenary captain, <Naham>, into whose body I’ve entered, exudes an indescribably authoritarian presence.
Though considered the captain of an incompetent group outside, at least within the confines of the Black Wolf mercenaries.
“In any case, I delegated the handling to the vice captain, and the mission was about to be canceled.”
“B-But Captain…”
“Shut up and answer my question first. Why have you come here to cause this commotion?”
The overly charismatic captain that the members fear so much.
“Ruby Red, are you going to disappoint me again before answering?”
Tsk.
Already pressed against the wall, Ruby Red hastily lowered her gaze.
“…I’m sorry, Captain.”
Good.
Just as I expected, Ruby Red recoiled in fear like the other members.
‘…How does Naham treat these kids that they’re all so scared of him?’
Shelving the question that popped into my mind, I took a step back from the shrinking Ruby Red.
“Anything else to say?”
“No, Captain.”
Alright.
With that, the situation is resolved.
All that’s left now is to properly conclude it.
“Thank you for everything.”
“Hm?”
The next moment.
Swish.
Ruby Red pulled out a familiar dagger from her robes.
“I’ve already taken care of my will, so don’t worry. I’ve arranged for Peter to take over my role once I’m gone.”
“…Peter?”
“Currently undercover in the church, but he’ll come running if Captain needs him.”
She had already returned to her cold expression as the Mercenary Union Branch Manager.
“To atone for my sins against the Captain, I will pay with my life.”
A familiar routine.
‘Guess this one’s the same…!!’
In a panic, I reached out and grabbed the wrist of Ruby Red who was about to commit suicide.
“…Captain?”
Again.
When pushed too far, Black Wolf mercenaries tend to try to commit suicide. Otherwise, they blindly follow me without any doubt, but when I stop them from killing themselves,
“…?”
they give me questioning looks filled with suspicion.
As if absolutely certain that ‘Naham’ would never stop us.
Even though they’re just D-rank mercenaries, they might as well be monsters to someone like me who has lived an ordinary life, and at such moments, I even feel like I might die,
“Let’s give them a chance to make amends. It’s just too bothersome having to pick new members.”
This kind of vague excuse is enough,
“Thank you, Captain!! I’ll never disappoint you with the second chance you’ve given me!!”
and they prostrate themselves once more, pledging their loyalty as if they never doubted me in the first place.
It seemed safer for Ruby Red to stay with Black Wolf than leave.
Anyhow, having sorted out the situation initially, I reached out my hand to Ruby Red.
“You understand, right? Get up.”
“Wha…? Ah, yes! Yes, Captain!!”
Having stood Ruby Red back up, I paused to think for a moment before opening my mouth.
“Since we’re at this point, I thought we might exchange some stories we haven’t shared yet.”
“Yes, Captain!! I’ll answer anything!!”
“That’s the spirit. First…”
I looked around to confirm there were no other members nearby, then whispered cautiously.
“That mission you mentioned earlier. The one His Majesty the Emperor assigned directly to me. I would like to hear more about it.”
“Ah! Now that I think about it, I only gave you a hint back then since you were with the Vice Captain.”
Given that stopping all the bad endings and saving both the Emperor and the Hero were essential,
It was the correct decision to gather as much information as possible.
‘Of course, I’ll decline after hearing it.’
My goal is merely to survive until all the bad endings come to an end.
I have no intention of solving mysteries like other protagonists just because I’ve taken over someone’s body.
However, shortly after.
“Essentially, His Majesty the Emperor commissioned you, Captain, with only one mission: to assassinate Duke Gafelt, the Merchant of Gold.”
The moment Ruby Red whispered and handed me the dark contract, a deep blue system window appeared, casting a pale light.
—
『Side Quest Triggered!』
◆ Bloodstained Gold
: Assassinate <Duke Gafelt, the Merchant of Gold> to secure the Emperor’s slush fund!
◆ Mission Requirements
: Accompany one member of the Black Wolf mercenaries. Rescuethe nun locked in the underground chamber before she succumbs to corruption. Complete all objectives before dawn tomorrow.
◆ Reward
: The full rights of <Babylonia> will be granted to the savior, <Naham>!
◆ Failure/Decline
: The bad ending <4. Black Wolf Mercenaries> will occur. The existence of the savior, <Naham>, will be erased.
—
“…”
“Captain?”
“…I’m thinking.”
I couldn’t decline the request Ruby Red had offered to me.
‘Until dawn tomorrow…’
Having understood the situation, I took Ruby Red’s hand and stood up.
“Let’s go.”
“Right… Right now!?”
“We have until the dawn tomorrow. Just the two of us, before the other members notice.”
Currently, I’m no more than a C-rank mercenary.
Even someone who has spent a lifetime in peaceful South Korea having only recently taken over a body for a month.
‘Can I pull this off?’
Even though my hands were trembling and my heart was pounding, I soon regained my composure.
‘I have to pull this off.’
Otherwise, I’ll die.
Let’s finish this somehow,
and enjoy the rest of the time that’s left.
—
2.
A few hours later.
Basement of a mansion so grand and luxurious it might as well be a marquis or duke’s residence.
A young girl knelt inside an iron cage, her hands clasped in prayer, tears streaming down.
“…Oh Lady Aria, the Goddess of Light. Why do you bestow these trials upon me?”
Even if one is born a sinner, and lives to atone for those sins,
“Washed of sin, I am thrust into hell. How am I supposed to…”
Her prayer was left unfinished as rough hands dragged her out.
“You’re sinning right now!!”
“Ah, we’re sorry for sinning. Stop resisting and make it easy on yourself.”
“IIIEEEK!! Let go of me!!”
“Aargh! You pain-in-the-ass girl really!!”
Smack!
A fierce punch threw the frail girl to the ground, clutching her stomach.
“Shit, you came willingly for the money and yet you keep yelling, yelling!!”
“C-Cough… It was clearly… a maid’s job!”
“Yeah, yeah. You can discuss that with the duke himself. Oh, and if you bite me again, I’ll rip all your teeth out, so think carefully.”
Thump.
The soldier picked her up like a piece of baggage and marched toward the light upstairs.
The girl thought to herself.
That light wasn’t the light of the Lady, but the gleam of gold Duke Gafelt possessed.
How many had she seen die under the allusion of that false brilliance?
‘Then I must not break.’
Somehow seize an opportunity to escape this place and flee with the people from the orphanage. We’ll escape to somewhere far from the Babylonia Empire.
But the girl knew.
“How long I wish the nun could survive…”
It was nearly impossible.
Still, it was fine.
As long as the people from the orphanage could live in peace, even if she died.
So please,
Let them know nothing.
When the girl was about to recite her final prayer with her hands gently clasped,
“Oh, almost forgot. The Duke wanted to tell you this before you were brought here?”
Kang!
The soldier roughly dropped the girl and pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her.
A scorched bracelet.
A burnt handkerchief.
A twisted symbol of Aria.
All completely blackened.
“Eh…?”
When the girl looked up at them in her hands, the soldier grinned and quickly added,
“The orphanage. Everyone’s dead and burned.”
“Wha, What…?”
“We had a soldier friend set up a mercenary group. I think it was Black Fang… or something. They sure know how to take care of business.”
Ching.
The last thing the soldier pulled out was the bracelet worn by the orphanage’s headmistress.
“The Duke said to give this to you. He said to hang these on her and send her off.”
With those final words,
“Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!”
—
【Attention!】
[Due to the forced awakening of <The Saint>, the bad ending – <4. Black Fang> is set in place.]
—
Just as the girl’s consciousness began to fade,
“Boo.”
Bam!!
“Argh!!”
Hundreds of crimson spears erupted from the soldier holding the girl.
But the soldier didn’t die.
No, more precisely,
“Keheh. Look at that.”
“!!”
He couldn’t die.
“Do you want to live?”
“!!!”
As the man froze, unable to even scream, an eerie woman approached with crazed eyes, covering her blood-stained mouth with shock.
“Hey… Don’t I know you? I think I saw you with the <Black Fang> mercenaries before.”
“!!!???”
“That’s right!! Nice to meet you? I’m happy too!!”
The red-haired woman shook hands with her own work of art once,
“Oops. Look at me losing track.”
Then immediately regained her composure, smiling brightly as she turned and waved her hand.
“Rescued you, captain!”
Simultaneously, a dark male figure appeared.
Jet-black hair.
Eyes glowing eerily beneath it.
A shadowy expression on his dark face.
Even the girl, filled with rage enough to lose consciousness, couldn’t help but tremble at his appearance.
The soldier turned into a living corpse,
The red-haired woman giggling,
The dim light in the underground,
And the especially dark man standing amidst it all.
For someone who prayed for the Goddess of Light her entire life, why does the answer come from the darkness?
As that dreadful scene gradually absorbed her into its fold, the man who had arrived spoke casually with a bland expression.
“…Safe.”
We almost failed before even beginning.
Anyway,
“Did you come alone?”
“…?”
The saint successfully rescued.
—
—
