The Hero Becomes the Duke’s Eldest Son

Chapter 94

Tallin, who had been flung away, rolled on the ground like a bug.

His appearance was wretched.

Aden’s fierce attack not only shattered Tallin’s sword but also severed one of his arms and legs.

“Argh…!”

Tallin, who had fallen flat on the ground, clutched his severed arm and gritted his teeth.

No matter how excellent his regenerative abilities were, it was beyond his capacity to regenerate such large sections of his body.

He hurriedly picked up his severed arm and leg.

Then he tried to reattach them using his regenerative power.

But…

‘It won’t regenerate?’

No matter how much he tried to reattach his severed arm, it wouldn’t regenerate.

Soon, he realized the reason.

“…!”

Sizzle.

The severed surface of his shoulder was burning black, emitting faint smoke.

It was so thoroughly cauterized that regeneration was impossible.

Seeing this, Tallin couldn’t believe his eyes.

“He burned the flesh with a sword strike?”

To bestow such an attribute on the cutting power of Sword Aura was beyond his comprehension.

Faced with this absurd reality, he couldn’t even get angry and was left dumbfounded.

Meanwhile, Aden confirmed the state of the technique he created, “Scale Break.”

It was a technique Aden devised solely to cut the scales of the Light Dragon, based on the knight-breaking technique of the Mercenary King’s swordsmanship.

A sword that could generate explosive heat capable of melting even steel by compressing and accelerating the waves inherent in Aura to the extreme.

It was a power that could only be used with the unbreakable 72-Stage Sword due to the extreme overload it placed on the weapon.

‘Originally, it’s a technique that could only be used by a Sword Master…’

Thanks to engraving a new Aura training method into his body, he could now use the technique with his current body.

‘Though it’s absurdly weak.’

If it were the original Scale Break, Tallin Umbra wouldn’t just have his cut surface cauterized; he would be engulfed in flames and erased without a trace.

– It reminds me of the old days. You burned many of my subordinates with that sword, heh.

Laughing as if he enjoyed reminiscing about his subordinates dying, he was truly a madman.

In any case, although it was far from the original power he possessed when he reached the state of a superhuman, it was quite useful.

“Are you planning to continue?”

Aden approached him with an indifferent expression.

Tallin felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at Aden.

“Don’t, don’t come any closer!”

What remained after enduring Aden’s attack was the emotion of fear.

He felt humiliated by the fact that he was scared.

‘Damn it, why am I suffering this humiliation!’

He felt a surge of disgrace from being defeated by such a young upstart whose origins were unknown.

“Damn it!”

In the end, he decided to use the last method he didn’t want to resort to.

“Dungeon…!”

He shouted, infusing mana into the air with all his might.

“I, Tallin Umbra, the contractor, request the summoning of the Spirit Merchant Pest…!”

Then, a phenomenon occurred.

Geometric patterns on the ground emitted light and were drawn…

Boom!

A pedestal rose from the ground, breaking through the patterns at the center.

Light gathered above it, summoning the Spirit Merchant.

A being shaped like a rat in a black suit emerged.

– What is it that you called me for, Tallin Umbra?

The rat-shaped mid-level merchant, Pest.

Aden narrowed his eyes at the appearance of the creature.

‘So it was that bastard.’

The Spirit Merchant who secretly sold this dungeon to Tallin and allowed the biological experiments.

It was likely that he also helped in kidnapping Charles’ spirit.

Aden didn’t attack him.

No, he couldn’t.

Spirit Merchants were beings that no physical attack could affect.

He stroked his mustache with a sly smile.

– You’ve even used the emergency summoning token I gave you as a service… Hmm, it seems like a big incident has happened.

Pest said this as he looked at the chaos where chimeras and warlocks were entangled in a frenzied battle.

More than half of the chimeras, monsters, and warlocks were already dead, and those trying to escape were being killed by wraiths.

And the head of the Umbra Guild himself was in a sorry state, with his limbs severed.

Pest clicked his tongue at the sight.

– It’s a complete mess. How do you expect to handle things when you make such a mess?

“Now is not the time for that! Help me immediately!”

– Additional intervention in the dungeon’s affairs requires ‘appropriate compensation,’ you know?

The ‘appropriate compensation’ Pest referred to was an astronomical amount.

So much that the entire guild would have to be sold to barely manage it.

He didn’t want to use it if possible, but now he had no choice.

Tallin ground his teeth and shouted.

“I’ll give you anything! I’ll pay the price, so act now!”

– Okay. Deal.

Pest revealed his pointed front teeth and grinned nastily.

Shhhh!

The Spirit Merchant Pest, who had hidden his level due to the ‘rules,’ revealed his level.

The pressure emanating from him made even a semi-master feel like a newborn baby.

– One strike.

Whoosh!

Pest lightly waved his front claw.

– Aaaagh!

Then, a flash of light tore apart the shaman summoned by Aden.

– Two strikes.

Whoosh!

– My lord! Aaargh!

Likewise, Mephisto was torn apart by Pest’s gesture and was forcibly unsummoned.

– And the rest of the rabble.

Swish, swish, swish!

Then, Pest swiftly gestured with both hands, selectively killing the chimeras and monsters.

Cries of death and splatters of blood erupted.

– The small fry are dealt with…

When Pest finally stopped his gestures, the only things left were a few black magicians who had miraculously survived until then and the pools of blood spilled by the chimeras and monsters.

Pest turned to Aden with a leisurely smile.

– Now, only you remain.

“……”

A mid-level spirit merchant.

Indeed, the power of a spirit merchant who disregarded the rules and revealed their force was terrifying.

It indicated that within the dungeon, they were akin to absolute beings.

With a mere gesture, Pest could tear Aden apart like he did the chimeras earlier.

However, despite facing such a being, Aden’s expression didn’t change.

“Isn’t it forbidden for a spirit merchant to interfere in the affairs of the dungeon?”

– Have you picked up some knowledge about us? Heh, who cares about such rules?

Pest revealed a sneering smile.

– As long as we don’t get caught. So, for that reason, you’ll have to die. Don’t take it too personally.

Despite Pest’s threats, Aden wasn’t scared at all.

He nodded while looking directly at Pest.

“Right, as long as you don’t get caught. But you see, I’ve met many guys like you while wandering around the world. Do you know what happens to them?”

– …What are you talking about?

Pest frowned at Aden’s unexpected and bizarre response, instead of the fear he had anticipated.

Aden then responded with a mischievous smile on his lips.

“Those who say things like that are the first to get caught by their ‘superiors.'”

At that moment…

– It seems the reports from the rabbits were accurate.

In the vast underground dungeon.

A voice echoed from all directions within the cavern.

It seemed both distant and as if it were right next to one’s ear, making it impossible to tell whether it was male or female.

The voice carried an overwhelming power.

– Th-This voice, no way…!

Pest was shocked, his fur and mustache standing on end.

Despite his inhuman face, he wore an expression that suited the term “pale with fear.”

Flash!

A blindingly bright light burst forth.

Along with the light, a presence took control of the dungeon.

As the light faded, a figure stood there.

Wearing a fedora, a burgundy suit, a white shirt, and a white mask.

It was impossible to tell if the figure was male or female, as the white mask had a peculiar design, with one side smiling and the other crying.

– It’s been a while, Pest.

The voice came from all directions, a gender-neutral tone that made it difficult to discern the speaker’s identity.

– L-Lord Chairman…

Pest’s face was filled with despair.

The Hat Merchant, the chairman of the Spirit Merchants Association.

That presence had manifested directly in the dungeon.

Aden smiled at the Hat Merchant.

‘No matter how many times I see her, she’s overwhelming.’

He couldn’t move.

Her mere presence made it impossible to breathe, let alone move.

Curse was slightly surprised.

– …Such a powerful and mysterious aura. Where did such a person come from…?

‘Of course. She’s the Hat Merchant.’

If he were to describe the aura of the Hat Merchant, it would be a paradox.

She existed.

And at the same time, she didn’t.

Possessing a force as vast as a tidal wave, yet feeling as if she wasn’t there at all.

Even if he tried to cut her with his sword, the image of slicing through her didn’t form in his mind.

For convenience, Aden referred to the Hat Merchant as “she.”

The Hat Merchant was the leader of all spirit merchants, in other words, an entity on the level of a “Spirit King.”

‘It seems Rabbits reported properly.’

Before visiting the Umbra Guild, Aden had summoned Rabbits to align their stories.

He instructed her to report the corruption to the Hat Merchant.

Reporting the corruption of another spirit merchant was a significant achievement, so Rabbits gladly accepted.

There were only two instances when a Spirit King-level entity like the Hat Merchant would reveal themselves directly in a dungeon.

When a significant anomaly occurred within the dungeon that needed to be reported, and when a major issue involving a spirit merchant arose.

Such as uncovering the corruption of a spirit merchant.

With the arrival of their leader, the rat spirit merchant’s face turned ashen, and his mustache trembled.

– L-Lord Chairman! Please, hear me out…! This is all a misunderstanding…!

– No. There’s no need for that, Pest.

The Hat Merchant shook her head sympathetically.

– I’ve known for a long time that you’ve committed various small and large acts of corruption for your own benefit.

– …!

– I observed you to give you a chance to reflect on your actions. But instead of reflecting, you continued with even more vile deeds. Unfortunately, there are no more chances.

– L-Lord Chairman! Please, wait…!

– Thank you for your efforts so far.

The Hat Merchant extended her hand toward Pest in farewell.

Swoosh.

Pest’s hat began to disintegrate.

The hat slowly turned to sand.

– No, no…! Please!

Pest desperately clutched the hat turning into sand, but his efforts were in vain as the sand slipped through his fingers.

– Pest, a mid-level merchant of the Spirit Merchants Association.

– Hat Merchant! Please, have mercy…!

– You are hereby dismissed from the Association.

Pssss…

Soon, the hat completely disintegrated…

– Aaaaaaaah!

Pest let out a tearing scream as his ethereal body rapidly shriveled.

As his body shrank, his suit and the expensive jewelry he wore fell to the ground.

His form shrank and shrank…

– Squeak, squeak. Squeak?

…until he transformed into a small, fluffy mouse.

Perhaps due to losing his accumulated status, he looked around and squeaked like an ordinary mouse.

The Hat Merchant grabbed Pest’s long mouse tail and lifted him.

– Squeak, squeak!

The tiny, fluffy mouse wriggled its hips as it dangled in the air.

The Hat Merchant put the wriggling mouse into her coat pocket and turned to Aden, bowing her head slightly.

– Thank you for reporting this to the Association. I apologize for any inconvenience.

“Well, alright.”

Aden responded calmly.

In his previous life, he had some acquaintance with the Hat Merchant.

He had conquered countless dungeons as an exceptional mercenary, naturally becoming well-known enough to form a relationship with the head of the Spirit Merchants Association.

Although they weren’t very close, their relationship was amicable enough.

It was strictly a business relationship.

– Simply apologizing is not the way of the Association. So…

Snap!

She snapped her fingers, and a small pouch appeared in front of Aden with a shimmer of light.

Aden caught the pouch from the air.

– Inside is your reward. It should be of some help on your journey.

“Alright, I’ll accept it gratefully.”

Though he didn’t know what was inside, the fact that it was given by the Hat Merchant, the head of the Spirit Merchants Association, was enough to trust its value.

– Then, I’ll take my leave…

“Wait, I have a question.”

– What is it?

“How can I free the plague spirit trapped there?”

– That child is in a deep sleep. Even if you break the external barrier, its consciousness will remain dormant inside the core.

She explained how to free the spirit.

– The child is deeply merged with the core. Physically breaking the core will result in the child’s destruction as well. To release the seal, you might have to form a sub-contract with the spirit.

“No other way?”

– No.

“……”

– Of course, a ‘different’ choice might be more beneficial for the sub-contractor. Is there anything else you need to ask?

When Aden silently affirmed, the Hat Merchant took off her fedora and placed it over her heart, bowing.

– Then, I’ll be on my way.

The Hat Merchant was about to disappear into a swirl of light when she gave a curious smile.

– I wish you peace on your journey, ‘Aden Albireo.’

“……!”

– ……!

Before Aden could respond, she vanished.

A strange silence lingered where the Hat Merchant had been.

Curse was the first to speak.

– Just now… did she call you ‘Albireo’?

“Hmm…”

The only one who knew Aden’s surname from his past life was Curse.

But how did she know that name…?

‘Does she remember me?’

It could be due to the unique nature of the spirit world or the fact that, as a Spirit King-level being, she might be unaffected by the flow of time.

The truth could only be known by asking her directly.

‘Well, if it’s her, knowing about me won’t cause any harm.’

It felt oddly unsettling.

An unexpected variable had appeared.

After a moment of contemplation, Aden shook it off.

‘This isn’t important right now. So…’

He decided to focus on the immediate issue at hand.

Aden looked at Tallin, who remained frozen like a statue even after the Hat Merchant’s departure.

With the intervention of the Hat Merchant, the loss of the spirit merchant left Tallin’s face filled with despair.

That day, the Umbra Guild fell into ruin.