Volume One: The Forest Knight Chapter 61: Which Coin Is Noble

The battle had ended, and the mercenaries of the Black Mountain Company were now imprisoned separately, each under heavy guard. Berion finally felt the burden lifted from his shoulders. Yet the time allowed him to rest was brief, for he needed to strike a deal with these mercenaries to resolve Sir Taur's debt to the Black Mountain Company once and for all.

That night, Berion was in no hurry to meet with the two officers of the Black Mountain Company. Instead, he instructed his men to confine them individually and treat them with good food and drink. Meanwhile, he himself joined Sir Taur, his retinue, and Gammgee in celebrating their victory with a night of revelry.

Though Berion restrained himself and did not drink excessively, the jubilant atmosphere and the high spirits of the company swept him along, and he found himself drinking a few more cups than intended. In the end, he staggered back to his caravan, drunk, and went straight to sleep.

The next afternoon, Berion entered the room where Cassel and Derrick were held. The two had not rested well the previous night. Unlike the elation felt by the defenders of Sism Town after their resounding victory, Cassel and Derrick had spent the night mired in the grief of utter defeat.

Upon seeing Berion enter, the pair merely glanced at him before turning away, lying back with their eyes closed, unmoving. Berion waved his hand, signaling the guards to bring in wine and food, then to leave and shut the door behind them.

Berion sat down alone and, with a cheerful smile, said, "Brave warriors, do you not wish to sit and share a drink with me? It's fine Sarion wine, not the sour swill from the Dunbas Hills."

Cassel said nothing, but Centurion Derrick snorted softly. "If your intention is to humiliate us, get on with it. Say what you have to say and spare us these insipid words and attempts to test us."

"Centurion, why so irritable?" Berion replied. "Yesterday, we were enemies on the battlefield, fighting to the death. Today, we sit at the same table as partners in negotiation. Would you not prefer to return safely to Orlian, free from the Grand Captain’s wrath?"

At these words, Cassel's eyes flew open. He rose swiftly and fixed Berion with a deep gaze. "Sir, what sort of deal do you propose?"

Berion tapped the table and gestured to the bench opposite him. "Let us sit together and share a drink first, then we can talk properly."

Cassel's lips curled into a faint smile. He pulled the reluctant Derrick to sit beside him. Berion poured wine for each of them, and after the three clinked their glasses, Berion set his cup down and said, "Leader Cassel, you must be as troubled as our Sir Taur. If I simply let you return, you would have no explanation for the Grand Captain, and doubtless you’d face severe punishment—your families too would suffer. But if you were to be executed, not only would you die dissatisfied, but Sism Town would face the Black Mountain Company's vengeance tenfold or even a hundredfold."

Cassel put down his cup and wiped his moustache with his sleeve. "You speak true. We are damned if we live, damned if we die."

"If I had a way for you to return unpunished, and for Sism Town to sever all ties with the Black Mountain Company, would you be willing to listen and undertake certain actions?" Berion’s gaze was intense as he posed the question.

Cassel looked back at him for a moment. "Tell me first. Whether I can do it, I must consider, and besides, it’s not a decision I alone can make."

Berion smiled mildly. "Rest assured, from what I know, if you simply return, your remaining forty or so comrades will be severely punished, and your families likely enslaved. I trust you will stand together in this."

Cassel and Derrick were silent. Berion had spoken the truth—unless they’d all died on the battlefield, returning now meant ruin for themselves and their kin.

Seeing their heads bowed, Berion continued, "What I require is not difficult. Your conflict with Sir Taur stems from the county governor's broken promise. I need you to kill that governor and loot his estate. Bring his head and a third of his wealth back to the Grand Captain, and deliver the speech I instruct."

Cassel, hearing Berion pause, quickly asked, "What should we say?"

Berion lifted his cup, drank, and continued, "You will claim the county governor of Kurum refused to pay, and when you wouldn’t leave, he retaliated by slaughtering villages and ambushing you in Sism Town with overwhelming forces. Outnumbered and suffering heavy losses, you feigned surrender, then escaped when the guards were unprepared, killed the governor to avenge your fallen brothers, and robbed his estate for these spoils."

Seeing Derrick’s eyes widen and Cassel lost in thought, Berion pressed on, "With a credible reason for defeat, and the culprit’s head delivered, your bravery is proven, the money is secured, and the Black Mountain Company’s reputation remains intact. The Grand Captain will not punish you—indeed, you’ll likely be rewarded."

When Berion finished, Derrick slammed the table and cursed, "Bah! To deceive the Grand Captain and betray our mercenary oath—how could you, a knight, propose such a vile scheme? We may be mercenaries, but we know honor from disgrace."

Cassel, seeing Derrick’s outburst, quickly pulled him back, signaling him to restrain his temper. Times had changed—they were now prisoners whose lives hung by a thread.

Berion said nothing in reply to Derrick’s rebuke. Instead, he drew two gold coins from his pocket and placed them before the pair. "Tell me, which of these coins is noble, and which is base?"

Both Cassel and Derrick fell silent. The question hung heavy: when real, tangible benefits were at stake, what value did personal morality hold? Was it worth suffering for the sake of principle, or better to compromise, collaborate with one’s adversary, and secure safety and gain for oneself and one’s family? Most would choose the latter.

As expected, Cassel and Derrick did just that. Berion appeared pleased, but a pang of melancholy crossed his heart. If conscience and conviction could not withstand the lure of profit, would his own followers someday betray him under threat or temptation?

He shook his head—he was but a minor knight, unentangled in such affairs for now. Why borrow trouble?

With the leaders’ consent, the rest of the Black Mountain Company mercenaries, whose own survival was at stake, quickly agreed. For the sake of themselves and their families, they accepted the plan.

Berion allowed Cassel to select twenty-five captured mercenaries and equipped them with arms. Derrick and the remaining twenty or so were kept as hostages in Sism Town.

Berion also required Cassel to sign a letter detailing his agreement to assassinate the county governor in exchange for Berion’s help. The hostages and this letter served as leverage: if Cassel failed to return within five days with the governor’s head and a share of his estate, Berion would send Derrick’s head and the letter to the Grand Captain.

In that case, not only would Cassel’s families be executed, but Cassel and his men would be hunted for life by Black Mountain Company assassins, according to their own oath: “Betrayers, both themselves and their families shall die in misery.”

After Cassel signed, Berion assured him that upon successful completion, he’d burn the letter in Cassel’s presence, removing all risk.

Cassel chose his twenty-five men and set off for the county capital of Kurum to carry out the mission. The town was a day’s journey from Sism Town—not far, and Cassel’s team had ample time. Berion felt confident that these mercenaries, reputedly the finest on the Weilin continent, could handle a corrupt governor and his inept troops.

While waiting, Sir Taur, in high spirits after escaping a grave crisis, invited Berion and Gammelin to nightly feasts. His gratitude toward Berion grew, disregarding any difference in rank and treating him like a beloved brother, with warm affection.

One evening over dinner and drinks, Sir Taur, unable to contain his curiosity, leaned in and whispered to Berion, "My dear brother, why must the county governor be killed? Though he is a despicable man, he is still a court viscount. Is it not too risky to murder him?"

Berion merely smiled. He leaned close and whispered, "Whenever someone profits by harming others, once is never enough—there will always be a second, a third time. This time the governor used you as a shield, refusing to pay the mercenaries. Next time, he’ll hatch another scheme to rob you, for you are one of the few wealthy men in Kurum County. Unless you give him all he wants, he’ll find ways to strip you bare. Is that what you want?"

Sir Taur shook his head, murmuring, "Absolutely not. That must never happen."

Berion, arm around his shoulder, continued quietly, "Besides, if the governor isn’t killed and the Black Mountain Company mercenaries return, their excuse won’t convince the Grand Captain. The viscount in Orlian is no fool; deceiving him is not easy. But if his men, ambushed by the Brick Principality, suffer heavy losses, then kill a Brick viscount—a key official of the state—the Grand Captain’s first concern won’t be truth or lies, but how to minimize the impact. After all, they must continue business with Brick, Valendi, and Barks. If other lords hear that the Black Mountain Company couldn’t even defeat county troops and murdered a powerful viscount, who would hire them? Simply managing the fallout would tax the Grand Captain’s wits—no one would truly investigate what happened. We’d be safe."

Hearing this, Sir Taur’s gaze held not only respect but fervent admiration. He raised his cup and toasted Berion heartily. "Among all I have known, Gammgee seemed clever enough, but now I see what true wisdom is—he has small cunning, you have great cunning."

The phrase "great cunning" brought to Berion’s mind a famous comedy from his previous life, and he shivered—was he really so shrewd? He quickly offered polite words and tried to get Sir Taur drunk, silently muttering, "You’re the real genius here, your whole family is genius."

In truth, Berion’s motive for eliminating the Kurum county governor stemmed from letters discovered aboard the ship seized from Baron Raul’s family in Waterside Town. Raul had written to several northern magnates, including this governor. Most letters were mere greetings or requests for business favors, but the one to the governor specifically asked him to find an opportunity—through private wars or other means—to rid the county of Berion, whose presence brought shame to the Raul family.

The governor had not replied, so Berion didn’t know his stance. But after recent events in Sism Town, the threat posed by this amoral governor was clear. It was best to seize this opportunity and have him eliminated by others, rather than wait for trouble.

Thus, Berion resolved to use the mercenaries to kill him. This would remove a near-term threat, help Sir Taur and the mercenaries (earning favors), and provide Berion with a third of the corrupt governor’s estate—a triple gain.

Sir Taur estimated the governor had amassed at least two hundred thousand dinars over the years. Divided among their two households and the mercenaries, each would receive over sixty thousand—a considerable fortune. With the reward Sir Taur promised Berion, the profits from this venture would be substantial indeed.