I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 266: Loyalist of the Empire (3)

Mayor Louis Baudelaire’s heart began to pound wildly as if it were out of control.

He had never felt his heart beat so furiously, not even when he had his first experience with his wife or when he narrowly escaped death.

It was that tense.

He felt cold sweat forming on his face, and his expression became strangely contorted due to his inability to control it.

“Mayor, are you feeling unwell?”

Louis shook his head in response to the question.

“No, there’s no problem.”

“You don’t look well, though. This isn’t an urgent situation. It’s better to take it easy and rest rather than pushing yourself.”

“I appreciate the commander's kindness. However, I am fine, in good health.”

As Louis himself said, there was nothing physically wrong with him.

However, his mind was in turmoil because he had received the order from Baron Rothschild to eliminate the commanders of the support troops sent by the Lyon Kingdom.

The tension that came with the knowledge that the operation had to succeed, and the fear that not only he but also his relatives could be killed if it failed, were all showing on his face.

Colonel Arue sighed and spoke.

“The King has great expectations of both you and me.”

Although the King of Lyon had never directly said this to Louis or Arue, it was clear that their shoulders bore the future of the Lyon Kingdom.

The Toscana Empire had effectively declared war through Baron Rothschild and was aiming to take Guillaume City, so it was imperative that they hold the city until reinforcements from the Kingdom arrived.

They had the duty to defend the city, no matter the cost.

“From now on, our bodies are no longer just ours,” Arue said.

Upon hearing this, Louis inwardly clicked his tongue.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.

He had met many soldiers, but it was rare to encounter someone with such a strong sense of military duty.

‘I have to kill someone like that.’

The order to eliminate the commanders of the support troops sent by Baron Rothschild seemed like it would leave a bad taste in his mouth.

“If we fall, the Lyon Kingdom falls. But if we hold out, the Kingdom will survive. So do your best.”

Colonel Arue, despite his higher rank, willingly extended his hand to Louis for a handshake.

“I will sacrifice my life for the King and for my lord, Count Guillaume.”

“It is an honor to fight alongside someone like you. Tonight, I will gather the commanders of the support troops and the militia of Guillaume City, along with the city guards, to discuss our next steps.”

Both Arue and Louis were nobles of the Lyon Kingdom.

However, Arue was a direct vassal of the Emperor, while Louis, the mayor of Guillaume, was just a retainer under the Count.

If Arue wished, and if he wasn’t someone who valued honor so highly, he could easily crush Louis through his higher status, authority, and power.

‘Someone like him will probably go down in history as a war hero.’

“Yes, understood.”

After their decision to meet, Louis went immediately to meet the military commander of the city’s forces, who had been waiting for him.

Although he had pretended to be a loyal subject of the Kingdom when speaking with Arue...

Once he was alone with a trusted companion, his mask naturally slipped away.

“Pretending to be a loyal subject is harder than I thought.”

“Well, neither you nor I are truly loyal subjects. We’ve both chosen to become traitors for money, honor, and our families. It’s not easy to wear the mask of a loyal subject of the Lyon Kingdom.”

Neither Louis nor the commander of the guards were rotten to the core, like many who sold out their country to survive.

They respected those who were genuinely sacrificing their lives for the Kingdom.

They understood that their actions were not entirely honorable.

The commander glanced around.

Although he had already checked that no one else was nearby before speaking, he knew well that there were always people lurking who would want to overhear such private conversations.

After making sure no one was around, the commander spoke cautiously.

“If Baron Rothschild himself has come all the way here, he must have signaled us. What should we do?”

Fabio was not an idle person, nor was he someone who would act recklessly.

If he wasn’t absolutely sure about something, he would test the waters first.

It made no sense for him to enter Guillaume City without reason, especially when it was nearly enemy territory.

‘It’s like a lion grazing with the sheep.’

“It’s time,” the commander said.

He made a straight line across his neck with his index finger.

Louis nodded silently, then spoke.

“It’s time to make our move. What will you do?”

For these two men, there was no turning back.

At this moment, the noblemen of Guillaume and the Lyon Kingdom were encouraging them, saying they believed in them and were counting on them.

But those were not words of genuine encouragement, like a lord speaking to his trusted subordinates.

It was like how a farmer would feed and pamper cattle, pigs, and chickens before slaughtering them.

‘Better to stab the master with the horn and die than be slaughtered.’

“...But it must be done swiftly and cleanly. Baron Rothschild.”

If the operation succeeded, Louis would earn a new status.

But if it failed, he and his family, along with all those involved, would not die peacefully.

‘It must succeed, no matter what.’

“That evening, Colonel Arue, along with the commanders of the support troops and the city guards, will gather for a meeting. We’ll strike then.”

When the head is cut off, the body is certain to die.

While an army doesn’t immediately perish when its commanders are killed, it becomes paralyzed, incapable of moving until leadership is restored.

In other words, it would become a lifeless decoration of an army.

“Yes, understood.”

That evening, Colonel Arue gathered the commanders of the support troops and the militia of Guillaume City for a meeting.

“Before we begin the meeting, let’s have a drink to relax. The war hasn’t fully started yet, so it’s not good to be too stiff. The best strategies come from a relaxed atmosphere.”

As the order was given, wine was served to everyone present.

“For the endless glory of the Kingdom of Lyon and His Majesty the Emperor!”

With these words, Colonel Arue emptied his glass and jested.

“I asked the finance minister for a glass of wine from the Count of Guillaume’s domain, and this... honestly, it’s four times better than my own estate’s wine. I’ll have to buy several casks when I return.”

Louis responded with a laugh.

“Well, how about one more glass then? This time, we’ll pour it for you.”

“I usually only have one glass before meetings.”

“Isn’t wine just a drink, after all? Please accept our small gesture.”

The atmosphere was very warm and friendly on the surface.

The commander sent from central command showed respect to the local commanders and the mayor of Guillaume City.

In turn, the local commanders and mayor expressed sincere admiration for the central commander.

In this warm atmosphere, Louis and his companions felt a dry throat.

‘When we get close, we strike immediately at the vital points.’

If they missed even one of the commanders, things would get complicated.

“Please take good care of us, Commander.”

Just as Arue and the others were beginning to feel a bit of relief, Louis and his companions suddenly stabbed and killed the commanders of the support troops.

“You worthless bastards! I treated you with sincerity, and yet you repay my generosity with treachery!”

Louis, the mayor of Guillaume, laughed as he said this.

“I would have loved to serve a master like you. But my lord, Count Guillaume, plans to purge me as soon as the hunt is over.”

When Baron Rothschild first said this, Louis had been suspicious, wondering if it could really be true.

But after analyzing everything—his surroundings, his own experiences—he realized he was in a situation where he was bound to be purged.

“This is all for survival. Still, I pray you reach heaven.”

Having destroyed the support commanders, Louis immediately went to find Fabio.