MDBC 05

Chapter 05

At Dein’s words, the mercenaries flinched—but none of them stepped back. Seeing that, Dein let out a short sigh and firmly gripped his wooden sword.

“Fine. Then I’ll just have to beat you.”

The moment he said that, Dein kicked off the ground and rushed forward. The mercenaries roared and swung their weapons, but none of their attacks landed.

Cesare stared blankly at the one-sided violence unfolding before his eyes. Amid countless flashing blades, Dein remained calm and still.

“Ghk…!”

One mercenary, struck in the neck, collapsed to the ground. Before long, none of them were standing. Under the moonlight, Dein stood alone and quietly sheathed his sword.

Then he turned to Cesare. Cesare flinched and scooted back on his backside.

“W-what is it?”

“Don’t be afraid. I just looked.”

That was the same man who had just beaten people half to death.

Despite thinking that, Cesare stayed silent. Dein sat down beside him with a thud and quietly looked at the Domus building.

“Cesare, you asked me before. What I’m going to do next.”

Dein’s expression as he looked back at Cesare was calm and composed. His soft voice spread through the moonlight.

“I’m going to take back my disciples.”

“….”

“And you’re going to help me, Cesare. I can’t find them all alone.”

“…Me too? Even though I’m just an alcoholic wreck and a hooligan?”

Cesare avoided eye contact as he spoke. Now that he had accepted the fact that he had reunited with his master, the ugliness of his current self became painfully obvious.

Dein looked at him and said calmly:

“And you’re still my disciple, Cesare.”

Cesare’s eyes trembled slightly.

“…Of course I’m Master’s disciple, Cesare.”

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and gave a faint smile.

“So what now? Are we going to operate as Domus again? And find the kids too?”

“Yes. But before that, there’s something to deal with.”

Dein nudged one of the fallen mercenaries with his foot. No response.

—WHACK!

“Gah!”

With full force, he kicked him, and the mercenary screamed and forced himself upright. Dein crouched down and met his gaze.

“You there. Do me a little errand.”

“Huh?”

“Go.”

Killing intent like moonlight frost gathered in Dein’s eyes.

“Bring the brothel owner here.”

Dawn

Under the moonlight, a man walked leisurely, as if taking a stroll.

It was the brothel owner. He was walking with his bodyguards as though out on a casual walk. He glanced at the mercenary with dissatisfaction.

“So you’re saying you killed him?”

“…Yes. Sorry.”

“Tch. I told you to bring him alive.”

The brothel owner had been waiting for the mercenaries to capture Dein. But after a long while, they returned saying they had accidentally killed him.

“His skills were stronger than expected. It was a mistake.”

“And the body?”

“…We buried it nearby.”

As long as the city guards didn’t find it, it wasn’t a big issue. People dying in back alleys was nothing new. What mattered was reopening his business.

As he walked to inspect the place, his establishment soon came into view.

He casually opened the door and stepped inside.

Something was wrong.

“…Why is that guy here?”

Dein was standing in the center of the first floor. He was supposed to be dead.

—click

A sound came from behind as the door closed.

Cesare and a mercenary were standing there. The mercenary stammered.

“We… we brought him.”

“Good work.”

Dein stepped forward.

Bodyguards immediately moved to block the path between the brothel owner and Dein.

In that instant, they felt their blood run cold. Dein felt like winter itself—an unstoppable natural disaster no human could oppose.

“You said you stole the Domus from the children fifteen years ago.”

Dein’s voice was chilling.

Cold sweat ran down the brothel owner’s back. Despite his fear, he shouted:

“What nonsense! I purchased it legally!”

“Then what’s this?”

Dein held out a document.

It was the land and property deed for the Domus.

It had been retrieved from the underground storage beneath the Domus building. Dein had kept important items such as deeds and records there.

Confusion crossed the brothel owner’s face.

The real deed had never been found, so he had forged one. Until now, it hadn’t been a problem—but with the real document appearing, everything changed.

“So you’re a fraud. And when I tried to remove you from illegally occupying it, you retaliated…”

At that moment, a bodyguard drew his sword and charged.

But Dein’s wooden sword struck his vital point instantly.

—CRACK!

They collapsed without even being able to scream.

The brothel owner panicked and tried to run, but Cesare was already blocking the exit.

“Where do you think you’re going, bastard.”

—THUD!

Cesare drove his fist into the man’s solar plexus. As his body doubled over, Dein’s wooden sword followed.

Dein mercilessly began beating him.

The brothel owner screamed and begged, but Dein did not stop.

“Stop…! Please!”

But there was no mercy.

He struck the most painful bones relentlessly.

Then—

—CRUNCH!

“Ughhh!”

Dein stomped down hard between the man’s legs.

The brothel owner’s vision went white as foam spilled from his mouth.

“You profited for fifteen years from a building stolen from my children.”

“S-sorry…”

“Sorry?”

Dein pressed down harder.

“Do you think an apology ends this?”

“I’ll return the building! I’ll give it back right away!”

“That’s all?”

Dein looked down at him, his gaze cold as ice.

“You’ll also pay interest. For fifteen years of profit.”

A wooden sword was then pointed at the brothel owner’s face. It looked as sharp as a real blade.

“Calculate the amount yourself. If I find it satisfactory, I’ll let you walk out of here.”

The voice carried pure intent and killing pressure.

One wrong word, and his tongue would be cut out.

The brothel owner turned pale, as if he were facing death itself.

The Boar Whale Inn

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the window.

I sat waiting for Cesare, sipping water.

It wasn’t yet evening, so the inn wasn’t crowded. Still, the gazes from the customers were intense.

Mercenaries seated early kept glancing at me. Even the innkeeper approached cautiously.

“Did you really beat up those mercenaries? You don’t look like it…”

A day had passed since the brothel owner incident. It was enough time for rumors to spread.

I answered casually.

“Cesare helped too.”

“By the way, you look younger than Cesare. Do you really call him Cesare?”

“I’m just stronger, so we agreed I’d call him by name.”

It would be strange to call Cesare “older brother,” and it was awkward to explain that he had come back from the dead.

The innkeeper gave me a strange look.

“You look so mild, but you’ve got a tough side… ah, welcome.”

The door opened and someone entered. The innkeeper greeted them politely.

“First time here? What would you like?”

“Why are you speaking so politely? Just bring food.”

The innkeeper’s eyes widened.

“Wait… are you Cesare? Where’s your beard?”

Cesare now looked completely different. With his messy hair and beard cleaned up, his appearance had changed drastically.

“I only just realized how handsome you are after five years…”

“I was always handsome. Now hurry up and bring the food.”

Ignoring the bewildered innkeeper, Cesare sat across from me.

“It suits you,” I said.

“Yeah. I quit mercenary work too, so I figured I’d clean up a bit. Still feels weird.”

He rubbed his smooth chin.

“By the way, I ran into some mercenaries earlier. They were a mess. Said they didn’t even get paid by the brothel owner.”

“He won’t be paying them anymore. He’s in prison.”

The brothel owner had paid his debt of fifteen years. He lost everything, but that wasn’t enough to settle things.

Forgery, illegal seizure, attempted murder.

Those charges sent him to prison.

Years inside, and even after release, rebuilding would be difficult. Especially with me still here.

While we talked, the innkeeper brought food and placed down a drink. Cesare glanced at it.

“I didn’t order this.”

“You always drink with meals. If I didn’t bring alcohol, you’d complain about me being clueless.”

“I quit drinking. I’m not having any.”

The innkeeper looked shocked.

He grabbed Cesare’s cheek and stretched it.

“Are you really Cesare? Are you in disguise?”

“Ow! Let go! Do I look like I’ve changed that much?!”

“Yeah, probably. Judging by how stupid you still sound.”

After a while, he finally let go.

As he reached for the drink again, Cesare grabbed his wrist.

“Hey, you already brought it. Just leave it.”

The innkeeper shrugged and walked away.

Cesare didn’t drink, but he kept smelling the aroma deeply.

“Why aren’t you drinking?”

“Master told me to quit. Damn… it smells amazing…”

He looked at the drink with longing, but still didn’t touch it.

Then he turned to me, his hands trembling slightly.

“Master, what are we going to do now? We’re still looking for the others, right?”

“Yes. We’ll find them.”

I thought of my five disciples.

Those tiny children from long ago.

“What happened to the children after the masters of Balannus died?”