Chapter 339: I’ll Handle It for You. (3)
Pippin, the patrol officer assigned to the mansion that night, stepped out of his quarters while yawning.
“Ah, so annoying. I’m so sleepy I could die.”
One of the mansion’s major drawbacks was the sheer number of places that required patrolling. It was nearly as expansive as a fortress.
What good were 500 troops if they were all crowded along the outer perimeter and the main building’s surroundings?
This left only a small number of soldiers to patrol the vast grounds of the estate.
“Heh, I guess it’s time to visit my secret spot again today.”
Pippin was adept at shirking responsibilities. He knew of blind spots within the estate that were rarely visible and poorly guarded.
He would always sneak to one of these secret locations, take a nap, and then pretend he had been patrolling the whole time. If caught, he’d be in big trouble, but thus far, he hadn’t been caught once.
After all, he was the patrol officer. Who would reprimand him? The estate was so large that the odds of being discovered were slim.
Feeling confident, Pippin headed to his secret space and lay directly on the ground. Having grown up rough, sleeping on the dirt didn’t bother him.
Thud… thud…
“Huh?”
Pressing his ear to the ground, he heard a strange sound.
“What is it? Why am I hearing something like this?”
Though faint, the sound was definitely there.
“Bah, I must’ve misheard.”
The sound was so subtle that he dismissed it and resumed his nap, taking care not to fall into a deep sleep. He rested just enough to stay alert.
Having done this many times before, he was used to it. He eventually got up and finished his patrol as though nothing had happened.
Two days later, due to the shortage of internal patrol personnel, Pippin was on duty again. Naturally, he returned to his secret spot for another rest.
Once again, as he lay down, the sound reached his ears.
Thud, thud, thud…
“Hmm?”
He lifted his head, and the sound stopped. It was only audible when he pressed his ear to the ground.
“Is something underground? Is water flowing?”
That day, he didn’t think much of it and carried on. But the third time he heard the noise, suspicion began to take root.
Thud, thud, thud…
“There’s definitely something there.”
The sound had been there for days now. Pressing his ear to the ground, it was clear that it was growing louder with each passing day.
He pondered deeply.
“Why would a sound like this be coming from underground?”
If it were a monster, no one would have constructed a building here in the first place. Its existence would have been revealed long ago.
Nor did it sound like water flowing underground. Driven by curiosity, he pressed his ear firmly against the ground and focused.
Thunk, thunk…
The sound resembled something being broken or dug apart. After some deliberation, Pippin fetched a shovel and started digging a bit.
If something truly existed underground, he figured the sound would become clearer the deeper he dug.
Indeed, after digging a little and pressing his ear to the ground, the noise became louder. Listening intently, he unconsciously muttered to himself.
“A tunnel?”
The thought came unbidden, but it felt certain. The sound, growing louder day by day, and the faint tremors in the ground were clear indicators.
“Without a doubt, someone’s digging a tunnel down there. They’re trying to sneak in!”
Pippin’s eyes gleamed with determination. Reporting this discovery would surely earn him a substantial reward. Just discovering something in a secluded spot like this was impressive enough.
In truth, he’d only been lounging on the ground, trying to rest.
He sprinted off to report to his superior, emphasizing how this would never have been discovered without him.
Several soldiers arrived, digging into the ground and pressing their ears to listen for themselves.
“It does sound like someone’s digging down there.”
When other soldiers corroborated his claim, knights joined to investigate. Being able to use mana, they could hear the sounds more clearly than the soldiers.
“Station forces here at once.”
Who had the audacity to dig a tunnel under their estate? The matter was reported further up the chain of command, and knights and soldiers prepared to confront whoever was coming.
Sure enough, a day later, the ground trembled slightly before a single head popped up.
The knights and soldiers, already waiting with torches lit, clearly saw the intruder’s face.
“A dwarf?”
No one had anticipated that dwarves would emerge, so everyone blinked several times in disbelief to confirm what they were seeing.
A knight, who finally collected himself, pressed his sword against Galbarik’s neck and growled.
“Who are you? How did you dig a tunnel all the way here?”
Galbarik, his eyes darting nervously, finally stammered out a response.
“Th… thieves, perhaps?”
“This crazy dwarf…”
The knight, glaring at him for a long moment, turned to his soldiers and shouted.
“Drag these guys to the dungeon immediately and lock them up! I’ll report this to the Young Lord! First, check where the tunnel leads!”
With that, Galbarik and the dwarves were chained and hauled away.
Even as they were being dragged off, they looked dazed. They couldn’t fathom how they had been caught so easily, even though they had let their guard down a bit.
They were certain the construction had been conducted in complete silence, and they had deliberately chosen a blind spot for their target.
The dwarves muttered that the security here was far more thorough than expected. They grumbled that, unless someone was watching with utmost vigilance, there was no way they could have been discovered.
In reality, it was simply a lazy soldier who had stumbled upon the tunnel by sheer luck.
And so, the dwarves found themselves locked up after nothing more than digging their tunnel.
When Martin was informed of the situation, he flew into a rage.
“Where did they come from? Find out immediately!”
“We’re investigating, but it may take some time.”
“Why? Can’t you just check the tunnel and see where it leads?”
“We sent soldiers in, but they’re stuck at a door, so it’s difficult to proceed.”
“What? A door in the tunnel?”
“Yes, it’s an extremely thick one. And the design is strange… it won’t open. It seems to be locked from the inside.”
“That makes no sense! How were the dwarves planning to get back? And if it doesn’t open, just break it down!”
“The door seems to serve as a support structure. Forcing it open or breaking it could cause the tunnel to collapse, blocking the path entirely.”
“Argh!”
If the tunnel collapsed, it would be impossible to trace where it originated. Those crafty dwarves must have prepared it as a contingency in case they were caught.
After pondering for a moment, Martin narrowed his eyes and gave an order.
“Ransack Dominic’s warehouse immediately. Didn’t he say they were doing construction there recently? That must be the entrance. It’s definitely connected to rescuing the hostages.”
“Understood.”
The knight and his soldiers headed straight for Dominic’s warehouse.
The mercenaries guarding the warehouse were forced to step aside under the knight’s harsh threats. After all, they didn’t know much about what was happening inside.
As the knight and soldiers were about to storm in, they were blocked by a single figure.
It was none other than Dominic, the leader of the Drake Mercenary Corps.
“What’s going on here?” Dominic asked in a cold tone.
The knight sneered and raised his sword.
“What are you doing here at this hour? Hiding something inside, aren’t you?”
“This is where I handle personal matters. Even as a knight, I cannot allow you to intrude without permission.”
“The Young Lord’s orders. We caught some thieves at the estate, and we need to inspect the interior.”
“I know nothing of this. Leave at once.”
The knight tilted his head mockingly and replied.
“Dominic, don’t get cocky. Just step aside. Do you think you’re untouchable just because the Young Lord tolerates your behavior?”
“Even the Young Lord cannot infringe upon my private domain.”
“Cut the nonsense and move! The Young Lord governs this city!”
At the knight’s shout, the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly and stepped forward. Outside, the mercenaries on guard also rushed in with weapons drawn.
Since their leader was involved, they had no choice but to intervene.
The atmosphere grew tense. It felt like a fight could break out at any moment.
The knight smirked as he glanced around.
“Hey, are you sure about this? Do you think you’ll be fine if I get hurt or have to retreat?”
Dominic bit his lip at the veiled threat. With his skills, he could deal with the knight and the soldiers in front of him immediately.
But he couldn’t bear the consequences of what would happen afterward.
“Phew…”
Letting out a deep sigh, Dominic stepped aside.
“Make it quick and leave.”
“You should’ve done that earlier.”
The knight sneered arrogantly, gave Dominic a once-over, and opened the door.
Creaaak…
Thump!
As the door opened, Dominic’s breathing quickened. His heart pounded, and his head felt dizzy.
The knight entered and shouted immediately.
“Check the floor! The tunnel must be connected here!”
‘We’re caught!’
Dominic, who had initially dismissed the possibility, became certain that the dwarves had been captured when he heard the accusation of theft.
There was a spy hiding within the mercenary corps. That individual must have reported that the warehouse itself seemed suspicious.
That’s why Martin had sent people here as soon as the incident occurred, accompanied by those who had been keeping an eye on Dominic, to inspect the warehouse together.
The inside of the warehouse was arranged like an office, but the knight and soldiers wasted no time checking the floor.
They rolled up the carpets, poked around with their weapons, and pressed down on suspicious spots, searching thoroughly for a long while.
But they couldn’t achieve their goal.
“What’s this? Is it not here?”
No matter how much they searched and examined, they couldn’t find the tunnel entrance. The knight even used mana to break through the floor, but it was no use.
They also searched the nearby vacant land just in case, but the result was the same.
After checking the area a few more times, the knight glared at Dominic and said,
“Whatever you’re up to, be careful. We’ll be watching you closely.”
Leaving that warning, the knight and soldiers left.
Even after they were gone, Dominic stood frozen for a long while. Only after some time passed did he finally wipe the cold sweat from his brow and sit down.
“Phew… At least I’m safe for now.”
The entrance wasn’t in this building. This construction was just a façade, meant to mislead the enemy’s intelligence.
In reality, the actual excavation had taken place outside the city. For the dwarves, whether inside or outside the city didn’t matter much anyway.
It was easier to move materials and work on larger tasks outside the city in the early stages.
Though the immediate crisis was averted, there was no time to relax. Since the dwarves had been captured, it was only a matter of time before the plan was exposed.
Even if dwarves were known for their pride, under torture, they might talk.
At dawn, Dominic disguised himself and went straight to Ghislain. By then, rumors about dwarven thieves breaking into the mayor’s mansion had already spread throughout the city.
Upon hearing the news, Ghislain scratched his head.
“Ah, such is life. Unexpected things happen when you least expect them. That’s what makes it fun.”
Ghislain didn’t know how they got caught either. The dwarves might have made a mistake, the enemy’s security might have been more thorough than expected, or someone might have gotten lucky and discovered them.
The world is full of such variables.
These kinds of things had happened often in his past life and after his regression. So, Ghislain remained calm and unbothered.
However, Dominic, who had pinned all his hopes on Ghislain, couldn’t remain so composed.
“N-no… This is no time to be so indifferent! The dwarves have been captured! Martin won’t stay idle!”
“It’s fine. That guy’s a noble too; he knows how valuable dwarves are. He won’t harm them recklessly. He’ll probably try to negotiate with them first.”
Dominic’s face twisted in despair. How could Ghislain remain so nonchalant and irresponsible when the plan had already been exposed?
But then, Ghislain grinned and continued.
“A plan is just a plan. It can always change depending on the circumstances. The process isn’t what’s important.”
“Then what is important?”
“As long as the result turns out the way we want, that’s all that matters.”
“What? But everything’s already ruined! What are you planning to do now?”
“What else? I’ll go in, rescue the dwarves, and save the people.”
“…?”
As Dominic looked bewildered, Ghislain patted his shoulder and said,
“You can muster troops quickly, right?”
“Y-yes… I’ve already instructed everyone to arm themselves and stand by.”
“And you’ve secured the important supplies?”
“Yes, we couldn’t take everything, but we’ve set aside the essentials.”
“Then we’re all set. Let’s get started. Head to the rendezvous point and lead the troops from there.”
“But, wait… What are you planning to do exactly?”
Ghislain didn’t answer the question. Instead, he gripped Dominic’s shoulder firmly and said,
“I’ll take care of it. Just get ready. There must be no mistakes this time. Got it?”
Overwhelmed by Ghislain’s presence, Dominic nodded before he even realized it.
“Y-yes, understood.”
Dominic wore a determined expression.
Martin was already suspicious of him. If the plan failed, it might be better to gather forces and strike the mansion directly.
“If this fails, I’ll crush Martin outright.”
“But then the hostages will die too.”
“If it fails, they’re all as good as dead anyway, aren’t they? If I have to die, I’d rather take that bastard down with me.”
Dominic’s eyes glimmered with murderous intent. Meeting Ghislain had awakened the anger he had been suppressing for so long.
Ghislain smiled at the sight.
“You look much better now. A mercenary should have that kind of resolve.”
“I’ll start preparing right away.”
“Good. Then I’ll get moving too. Hey, you guys, wait by the tunnel door.”
Ghislain gave new instructions to the 20 knights he had brought with him. They would wait for him by the door the dwarves had sealed.
As Dominic and the knights departed, Ghislain rinsed his mouth with alcohol and spat it out.
Then, he splashed some alcohol on various parts of his body.
Soon, the strong smell of alcohol emanated from him.
“This should do.”
Reeking of alcohol, he headed toward Martin’s mansion.
“Halt! Who are you?”
The guards at the gate blocked his path. Ghislain swayed slightly and looked at them with half-closed eyes.
“I said, who are you? Do you know where you are? Get lost with that stench of alcohol!”
A guard shouted, pushing Ghislain’s shoulder.
“Huh? Did you just push me?”
Ghislain staggered slightly and asked. The guard, now irritated, responded with a scowl.
“Yeah, I pushed you. What are you gonna do about it?”
At that, Ghislain chuckled softly.
And then, in an instant, he charged forward and delivered a flying kick straight to the guard’s face.
Thwack!