Meanwhile, the village of Loki had fallen under the control of the Mad Dog Pirate Crew. Here, the mercenaries and dark mages had been completely wiped out.
"The boss said to distribute food to the villagers!"
"Aren't we pirates? Why are we giving food away instead of taking it?"
"You idiot! Think of it as a kind of looting. We're forcing our supplies into the villagers' empty storehouses. Heh. We're 'plundering' their poverty! That's what the boss called reverse plunder!"
"Reverse plunder? Sounds downright villainous. No wonder—true scoundrels always think on another level."
The pirates of the Mad Dog crew were staying behind to help the villagers in earnest. They were busily unloading crates and handing out much-needed food. For people who had spent their lives robbing others at sea, this scene of goodwill was a rare sight indeed.
"Who knew looting could feel so... peaceful?" one of the pirates asked.
"Our boss really is something else," another pirate said.
While a few pirates, now intoxicated with the thrill of kindness, moved about with fresh enthusiasm, Caron was busy exchanging messages with Azureocean Castle through a communication orb.
"Yes, yes, Father. Please take good care of Aqua. Oh? Mother likes her that much? I should've sent Aqua earlier. Yes, things are going well here. I think we'll be able to wrap up without much trouble and head back soon. Mm-hmm. I won't be late. You take care of your health too, Father," Caron said.
As Caron ended the call with a smile, Leo—who had been listening quietly—casually asked, "Did Aqua arrive safely?"
"Yeah. Everyone at Azureocean Castle is completely taken with her. Even the uncles and aunts bring her tasty treats every day," Caron answered.
"...Even my mother?" Leo asked in disbelief.
"Apparently, your mother is the most obsessed of all. Unexpected, right?" Caron asked.
"Well, she's always wanted a daughter," Leo admitted. "Still... I'm glad."
According to Fayle, Aqua's presence had brightened the mood of Azureocean Castle. And really, that wasn't surprising at all. Anyone seeing Aqua for the first time would naturally be drawn to her.
But it wasn't just because she was cute.
There's a bit of Dragon Fear at play, Caron thought.
Dragon Fear, at its core, allowed dragons to influence the minds of other beings. Typically, it instilled terror—but since Aqua bore no hostility, it affected people in a different way. It partially disarmed their mental defenses.
That was why people found themselves opening up to her so easily. Once their guard was down, her natural charm did the rest.
"Even without that, Aqua would've been adored," Caron muttered with a nod.
Leo nodded in agreement and said, "Of course she's adorable. You don't even have to say it."
"You've become a total doting uncle," Caron pointed out.
"And you haven't? Don't forget how you freaked out when you first met her, asking why she was your daughter."
"Was I really like that?" Caron asked.
Either way, it was a relief that Aqua had arrived safely at Azureocean Castle. Just in case, Caron had arranged for the newly formed elven fleet to escort her and had even sent a warning to the Queen.
And with both the elves and the elite warriors of the Queen joining the escort, it would've taken a full-blown disaster for anything to go wrong.
Feeling satisfied, Caron gave a contented nod and brushed a hand over his pouch of dimensional space.
"I do have one bit of bad news. Leo, Seria—listen carefully," Caron began.
"What is it?" Leo asked.
Through that recent message, Fayle had informed Caron of a situation in the northern part of the continent.
"A large force of undead has appeared near the Free City Union. It's a well-formed army made up of various types of undead," Caron explained.
Seria's expression turned grim. She said, "...So we can't count on the Empire for help in this operation."
"As the saying goes, stir the nest and the bugs come crawling out. Seems like more dark mages remained than we thought," Caron said.
"Could this be the work of the Dark Magic Tower?" Seria asked.
"It's highly likely. The Demon Kings have begun to move in earnest, but the Dark Magic Tower hasn't left a single trace," Caron answered.
The Dark Magic Tower was unlike the other Magic Towers. It was an organization formed by dark mages—more a cabal than a formal institution. It had no central base like the Imperial Tower, especially after the Malevolent Emperor was overthrown and dark mages were cast out across the continent.
They'd operated in the shadows ever since. Despite the Oceanwolf Knight Order making it one of their main goals to root them out, they had evaded capture for nearly fifty years.
And now, Seria had brought up that very same Dark Magic Tower.
"So it's them who've sided with the Mercenary King..." Seria trailed off.
"Almost certainly. The undead uprising was a distraction—to split the attention of both the empire and the Pajar Sultanate," Caron replied.
"I can see the bigger picture now," Seria said.
"These bastards were trying to establish a foothold in the southern kingdoms," Caron added.
The undead in the Free City Union was just a diversion. The real objective was here.
The alliance between the Mercenary King and the Dark Magic Tower likely had a surprisingly simple goal: To build a new Magic Tower just for dark mages.
That dream had burned in their hearts for generations. Over fifty years ago, back when dark magic was still tolerated in the empire, there had even been official discussions about building such a tower.
"Nothing's more revolting than bugs crawling into the light," Caron muttered.
If the dark mages truly were behind all this, it explained how the Neon Kingdom had collapsed so quickly. It had been fifty years, after all. They'd been gathering strength for half a century. Which meant they had countless hidden cards up their sleeves.
"The situation isn't very good," Caron muttered.
He realized they would likely need to rethink their plan to wrap things up neatly and head home. Dark mages had long since abandoned their humanity. They made pacts with demons and treated human life like garbage.
"Actually, this might be a good thing," Caron said.
Now was the time to uproot the threat entirely. To be honest, he was thrilled. The great scheme that countless dark mages had been preparing for decades—if he could destroy it and absorb their strength for himself, he could grow even faster.
"Let's pick them clean. Leave nothing behind," Caron added.
Countless knights had died in the war between the southern kingdoms. Caron was certain the dark mages had turned most of them into Death Knights. If those Death Knights could be converted into Avengers, they would be valuable later.
"I've always enjoyed stealing someone else's meal," Caron said with a grin.
"Is that why you always took my meat when we were kids?" Leo asked.
"You're still hung up on that? You're so petty," Caron replied.
"Both of you," Seria cut in. "If you've got energy to joke around, use it to raise another support beam. We need to finish restoring this village if we're going to raid the next one."
"Oh, Seria. That actually sounded pirate-like," Caron teased.
"Shut it..." Seria said.
Caron chuckled softly and nodded. He had come to the Neon Kingdom expecting a quick cleanup and an easy return. But something far larger lurked beneath the surface.
Oddly enough, that didn't bother him.
Since the stakes are higher, the reward will be too, Caron thought.
The pie had gotten bigger—and that meant the spoils would as well.
Caron smiled faintly. He felt certain that by the end of this journey, his pockets would be brimming with goods.
***
After liberating Loki Village, there were no particularly striking victories to report.
No Death Knight-level undead had been discovered in the surrounding villages. What they had found instead were dark magic circles—ritual sites that used sacrifices to channel black mana.
Thus, Caron and his Mad Dog Pirate Crew focused their efforts on destroying these ritual circles in each village and purifying the dark mana that had spread through them.
During that process, Caron obtained solid proof that the dark mages truly intended to build a Magic Tower in the Neon Kingdom. Sacrificial magic circles had been carefully installed throughout the villages, and beyond that, there were even magic arrays designed to transmit the gathered dark mana elsewhere.
The dark mages had stealthily extended their influence across the kingdom like creeping tendrils of rot.
Once they gathered enough evidence, the Mad Dog Pirate Crew managed to reunite with the Pirate Queen's main force without delay.
"We've returned, Your Majesty," Caron said.
"You've done well," Kynda replied. "Ryan already briefed me in detail. That fool of a Mercenary King has finally gone and done it, hasn't he?"
"Was he always this much of an idiot?" Caron asked dryly.
"Oh, always," Kynda said with a scoff. "Even when he served under me, he was nothing but a greedy bastard who never knew his place. Just thinking about seeing that smug face of his again makes me sick."
She took a sip of water and nodded. They were speaking inside a lavishly adorned carriage—gold-trimmed and richly upholstered. It was the finest carriage the Mercenary King, Nelson, had offered to her.
"I heard from Ryan that you even managed to subdue Death Knights? I thought you couldn't stand dark mana... This was unexpected," Kynda said.
"Well, it's complicated," Caron replied. "Strictly speaking, they're not undead."
"Then what would you call dead knights who get up and walk around?" Kynda asked, arching an eyebrow.
"They're on our side now. Let's just say they're kind undead," Caron answered.
"You should've just said that from the beginning," Kynda said, then she let out a small chuckle and brushed her fingers over her goblet. "By now, I'm sure word has reached Nelson as well. He's not someone who would go down easily."
"Do you happen to know anything about the master of the Dark Magic Tower?" Caron asked.
"We talked about something similar last time, didn't we?" Kynda replied. "How could we possibly know something that your Ducal Family of Leston doesn't?"
"I just thought bad people might have a way of recognizing each other," Caron said with a grin.
"At the very least, I haven't thrown away my humanity," Kynda said. "You already know what dark mages are like. To them, humans are just materials. As for the master of the Dark Magic Tower... The last time anyone saw him was about thirty years ago. But the fact that you're asking me about him means you're already sure."
"Yes. The master of the Dark Magic Tower is definitely with the Mercenary King," Caron confirmed.
"Hmm... So even our sweet little saintess agrees?" Kynda turned toward Seria with a pointed look.
Seria nodded gently then replied, "Yes, I agree with Caron."
"That fool's brought in people he never should've gotten involved with. Looks like we'll have to adjust our calculations," Kynda murmured. She knew well how dangerous the Dark Magic Tower truly was.
She drummed her fingers lightly on the armrest, then let out a quiet sigh and asked, "You didn't leave any traces behind, did you?"
"The disguises were perfect. The only witnesses were some villagers. And since we destroyed one of their strongholds, they'll have their suspicions. But what matters is leaving no solid evidence," Caron said.
"That part we can't deny," Kynda said. "Now that we know the master of the Dark Magic Tower is among them, there's no way they welcomed us without ulterior motives."
With that, she picked up a letter she had left beside her and handed it to Caron, adding, "This came from an old subordinate of mine."
"An old subordinate?" Caron asked.
"He's working as Nelson's right hand now. We've kept in touch now and then. He is a handsome man, and—well—he's my type. Go on, read it," Kynda answered.
"I'm not a fan of love letters," Caron muttered, frowning slightly as he opened the envelope.
The handwriting was far too elegant for a mercenary. But the contents were no idle romance.
"...At some point, strange individuals began gathering around the Mercenary King. Since then, his military strength has grown beyond comparison—but so has his volatility and cruelty. Your Majesty, could you perhaps stop his rampage? Many of our comrades have already lost their lives at his hands..."
It was a clear whistleblower letter. Every line condemned the Mercenary King's descent into madness.
As Caron read silently, Kynda spoke in a low, deliberate voice. "We can't take every word at face value."
"It could be a trap," Caron said. "Maybe he's trying to test your reaction."
"Hmph. Secretly sending a letter like this to test me? Not the most absurd theory," Kynda said, nodding thoughtfully.
Then, in a near-whisper, she added, "Nelson made me a rather intriguing offer."
"What kind of offer?" Caron asked.
"He asked whether I'd consider holding a tournament to unite the mercenaries and pirates. Like how pirates rank themselves, he wants to establish a hierarchy between mercenaries and pirates too," Kynda answered.
"A tournament?" Caron blinked.
The topic seemed out of nowhere—but in truth, it was fitting. Mercenaries and pirates alike thrived in chaos and were difficult to bind to any one cause or group.
The only thing they respected was power. Nelson was suggesting a way to prove that power.
"That's interesting. So he wants to crush his opponents with sheer strength?" Caron asked.
"He must be pretty confident in his abilities to suggest it so boldly," Kynda replied.
"If you and the Mercenary King fought, who would win?" Caron asked.
"If it's the Nelson I knew... I would've been confident that I wouldn't lose, no matter how many times we fought," Kynda replied.
"And yet he still made such a proposal," Caron said.
It only meant one thing—the Mercenary King's confidence in his strength had grown.
Caron's lips curled into a faint smirk and said, "Looks like he's been preparing thoroughly."
"If you're thinking of backing out, now's the time to say it," Kynda said.
"But ruining someone else's banquet is the best part, isn't it? Whatever plan he's brewing... there's one absolute truth that never changes," Caron said as he turned to Kynda, eyes gleaming. "No scheme matters in the face of overwhelming power."
There was no reason for Caron to not eat the meal already served before him. He knew better than anyone else how to enjoy a feast someone else had prepared.
"I heard that whoever kills the Mercenary King becomes the next Mercenary King," Caron added.
"It's true. What, are you thinking of claiming the title of Mercenary King for yourself?" Kynda asked.
"The more jobs, the better. That's what my father always said," Caron answered with a smirk.
A pirate—and now a mercenary too.
"Alright then," Caron said. "Let's make this game even bigger."
The Mad Dog's ambition knew no bounds.
Caron smiled greedily.
It was such a perfect expression for a pirate, even Kynda had to admire it.