Chapter 27

“Ugh!”

I heard Dylan suck in a deep breath as if he had hiccups.

It was the kind of attack that would have cracked a normal person’s head open without even trying to dodge or counterattack.

I almost closed my eyes at once.

It’s not that I doubted Roche’s abilities. The mercenary’s momentum as he lunged at Roche in his excitement was so vicious that it was almost a reflexive impulse to turn away.

But I barely managed to override my instincts and keep my eyes open. I tried to follow the direction of the force with my eyes.

I’m no good at martial arts, so I couldn’t see anything.

“Ugh……!”

Before I could even grasp what was happening, a dull groan sounded.

It was the mercenary’s voice.

The movement of both Roche and the mercenary slowed enough for me to take in the scene.

Delicate hands firmly grasped the armed arms. Veins and blue veins bulged on the back of the hand, showing how much force was being exerted.

Roche had his back to me, and the mercenary was facing him.

I could see the anger and fear on the mercenary’s face.

Roche effortlessly lifted the mercenary, who was much larger than himself, as if executing a textbook maneuver.

In the process, the mercenary with a broken arm swallowed his scream.

Roche took the baton from the fallen mercenary’s grip.

He dryly repeated the same words as before, looking at the remaining group.

“Who’s next?”

By now, the mercenaries were demoralized.

However, for some reason, they still came at Roche one by one, completely demoralized. They shouted and charged, trying to boost their morale.

Roche took them down, one after another, with ease. It was impossible for the mercenaries to engage in a ‘back-and-forth’ with Roche.

It was an embarrassing confrontation, to say the least.

Under Roche’s calm and unchanging demeanor, the mercenaries stumbled backward.

Those who were knocked out were relatively lucky. Those who remained conscious groaned in pain as they writhed on the ground.

They had only taken one or two blows.

Now, only one person remained—the leader. I vaguely remembered Dylan talking about him earlier. What was his name again? Oh, Jack Rogers.

Roche turned slowly to look at him.

“…Next?”

His voice was sterile, which made it sound even colder. Even I felt a chill run down my spine.

Jack Rogers, the head of the guards and security, glared at Roche with beads of sweat on his forehead.

His clenched jaw trembled visibly. Was it anger? Fear?

He was noticeably larger than the other eight mercenaries. In a sporting contest, he and Roche would have been two weight classes apart.

Without fear, Roche taunted Jack Rogers.

“I said, ‘next.’ Didn’t you hear me?”

If he were a hostile mercenary, he would have gladly accepted the provocation. But Jack Rogers just stood there, lowering his posture.

Roche did not assume a combat stance but stood with his shoulders relaxed, facing Jack expressionlessly.

His soft-spoken, docile demeanor was completely absent for the moment.

Jack Rogers pulled the baston from his waistband and gripped it tightly. Beads of sweat trickled down his temples.

“Hmph…….”

A series of pathetic groans escaped him.

He seemed to be in a fierce conflict. He realized that he had no chance against Roche.

Roche treated the eight men he’d chosen to be his subordinates as casually as if they were soap bubbles.

Unlike Jack, his forehead and back are smooth, and his breathing is steady. This is because he subdued his opponent with minimal movement.

He’s long past the age of bloodlust, so I’m sure he’d be able to analyze that kind of power.

“Grit.”

Jack gritted his teeth and dropped to his knees.

He couldn’t get into a fight he was sure to lose.

Placing his hands respectfully on his knees, he inclined his head toward Roche.

“I didn’t realize you were such a skilled fighter. I have committed a grave mistake… I apologize. Please forgive me.”

As soon as the words of apology left his mouth, my pulse skipped a beat.

It must have been the same for Dylan, who was standing next to me, because I heard the pent-up breath burst out in a ‘ha’.

Roche could only stare down at Jack Rogers, emotionless.

He neither refused nor accepted the apology.

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the garden. Dylan broke the silence.

“I apologize, Countess. I had no idea they were like this. I’ll either dismiss them immediately and hire new personnel or send a trustworthy person according to your instructions.”

I held out my hand to Dylan to let him know it was okay.

Dylan had done nothing wrong.

Even I would have judged that immediate security and protection should be entrusted to those who are well-versed in local security.

“I’m firing them right now.”

But I don’t think so, Dylan whispered nervously. I frowned and replied.

“Stop. I need to think.”

I appreciate his concern for me, but it’s distracting.

Dylan immediately shut up, and I was able to get some quiet time to think things through.

I stared at the kneeling Jack Rogers.

Hmm. Is firing this man really the best option?

As for hiring others, it was hard to imagine that the other mercenaries in the area were any better than these.

Dylan seems to have a strict personality, so he probably hired these people because he judged them to be the best.

Then should I send people from the Balthus Territory?

Count Balthus’s guards may be loyal to him, but there are different types of cases to be handled in the capital than on a secluded country estate.

That means she needs someone local.

Jack Rogers has endured the humiliation of kneeling and bowing before Roche in silence.

Oh, horror, even arrogant, spoiled mercenaries…

‘If you can bow your head if forced by strength, ’

I smiled at the corner of my mouth. And I took a step. Toward Roche and Jack Rogers.

Roche’s emerald eyes, which had been looking at Jack Rogers kneeling, turned to me.

He had been as emotionless as a doll a moment ago, but as soon as he saw me, he became a different person.

“I did a good job, didn’t I?

He asked, clearly expecting praise.

I patted Roche on the shoulder and whispered with a smile in my voice.

“That’s great, Roche. I was right to choose you as my bodyguard.”

Roche smiled shyly and bowed his head slightly.

I was stunned for a moment. His expression was so different from the one he had shown me a moment ago.

Who would have thought that such a shy young man could knock out eight people on the ground in less than five minutes?

But it wasn’t time to be idle. I regained my composure and spoke to Jack this time.

“Was the duel beneficial?”

Jack had no answer. He was still sweating pitifully.

“It clearly showed who stands in a superior position in terms of skill. Isn’t that right?”

After a long pause, Jack finally managed to find his voice.

“Yes,……. My Lady.”

“Then let’s do this.”

I declared, placing my hand lightly on Roche’s back.

“The command of the manor’s security and guard is hereby placed in Roche’s hands. Jack Rogers, you and these men under your command are…”

Roche’s back stiffened slightly under my touch. Stroking the tense muscles, I withdrew my hand and continued.

“As Roche’s servant, you will obey his orders as if they were those of mine, and you will obey them absolutely. You will serve him well. Do you understand?”

Jack let out a shallow sigh.

“Yes, understood.”

He had no choice but to submit, although his pride might be hurt. He was completely overwhelmed by the force.

But I didn’t stop there.

“Also… Dylan mentioned that you have the highest level of experience in security and protection missions in the capital.”

“It’s true.”

“No, it seems like a false claim now.”

Jack clasped his hands together in disagreement. He looked frustrated.

Of course, I didn’t think they had exaggerated their experience. Roche was just incredibly strong.

I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“We’ll have to revise the contract. The compensation will be reduced by 50%.”

“That’s not fair!”

Being the money-conscious mercenary that he is, he immediately protested. This is not the time to push back, is it?

“Really? Would you rather I fire you or find you a new job?”

Would finding a new contract be as easy as he wished?

I crossed my arms, lifted my chin, and curled my lips.

“Your competitors are really going to want to know why Jack Rogers was fired after only one day, and some of them might even be bold enough to ask me directly. I’m going to tell them the truth then……?”

Jack seemed to understand what I was saying.

“The world of mercenaries is all about strength and ability, isn’t it? I think your reputation will be in for some fun when they hear that my Roche single-handedly took down all of your men in less than five minutes.”
“Ugh!”

I heard Dylan suck in a deep breath as if he had hiccups.

It was the kind of attack that would have cracked a normal person’s head open without even trying to dodge or counterattack.

I almost closed my eyes at once.

It’s not that I doubted Roche’s abilities. The mercenary’s momentum as he lunged at Roche in his excitement was so vicious that it was almost a reflexive impulse to turn away.

But I barely managed to override my instincts and keep my eyes open. I tried to follow the direction of the force with my eyes.

I’m no good at martial arts, so I couldn’t see anything.

“Ugh……!”

Before I could even grasp what was happening, a dull groan sounded.

It was the mercenary’s voice.

The movement of both Roche and the mercenary slowed enough for me to take in the scene.

Delicate hands firmly grasped the armed arms. Veins and blue veins bulged on the back of the hand, showing how much force was being exerted.

Roche had his back to me, and the mercenary was facing him.

I could see the anger and fear on the mercenary’s face.

Roche effortlessly lifted the mercenary, who was much larger than himself, as if executing a textbook maneuver.

In the process, the mercenary with a broken arm swallowed his scream.

Roche took the baton from the fallen mercenary’s grip.

He dryly repeated the same words as before, looking at the remaining group.

“Who’s next?”

By now, the mercenaries were demoralized.

However, for some reason, they still came at Roche one by one, completely demoralized. They shouted and charged, trying to boost their morale.

Roche took them down, one after another, with ease. It was impossible for the mercenaries to engage in a ‘back-and-forth’ with Roche.

It was an embarrassing confrontation, to say the least.

Under Roche’s calm and unchanging demeanor, the mercenaries stumbled backward.

Those who were knocked out were relatively lucky. Those who remained conscious groaned in pain as they writhed on the ground.

They had only taken one or two blows.

Now, only one person remained—the leader. I vaguely remembered Dylan talking about him earlier. What was his name again? Oh, Jack Rogers.

Roche turned slowly to look at him.

“…Next?”

His voice was sterile, which made it sound even colder. Even I felt a chill run down my spine.

Jack Rogers, the head of the guards and security, glared at Roche with beads of sweat on his forehead.

His clenched jaw trembled visibly. Was it anger? Fear?

He was noticeably larger than the other eight mercenaries. In a sporting contest, he and Roche would have been two weight classes apart.

Without fear, Roche taunted Jack Rogers.

“I said, ‘next.’ Didn’t you hear me?”

If he were a hostile mercenary, he would have gladly accepted the provocation. But Jack Rogers just stood there, lowering his posture.

Roche did not assume a combat stance, but stood with his shoulders relaxed, facing Jack expressionlessly.

His soft-spoken, docile demeanor was completely absent for the moment.

Jack Rogers pulled the baston from his waistband and gripped it tightly. Beads of sweat trickled down his temples.

“Hmph…….”

A series of pathetic groans escaped him.

He seemed to be in a fierce conflict. He realized that he had no chance against Roche.

The eight men he’d picked and chosen to be his subordinates, Roche had dealt with them as casually as if they were soap bubbles.

Unlike Jack, his forehead and back are smooth, and his breathing is steady. This is because he subdued his opponent with minimal movement.

He’s long past the age of bloodlust, so I’m sure he’d be able to analyze that kind of power.

“Grit.”

Jack gritted his teeth and dropped to his knees.

He couldn’t get into a fight he was sure to lose.

Placing his hands respectfully on his knees, he inclined his head toward Roche.

“I didn’t realize you were such a skilled fighter. I have committed a grave mistake… I apologize. Please forgive me.”

As soon as the words of apology left his mouth, my pulse skipped a beat.

It must have been the same for Dylan, who was standing next to me, because I heard the pent-up breath burst out in a ‘ha’.

Roche could only stare down at Jack Rogers, emotionless.

He neither refused nor accepted the apology.

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the garden. Dylan broke the silence.

“I apologize, Countess. I had no idea they were like this. I’ll either dismiss them immediately and hire new personnel or send a trustworthy person according to your instructions.”

I held out my hand to Dylan to let him know it was okay.

Dylan had done nothing wrong.

Even I would have judged that immediate security and protection should be entrusted to those who are well-versed in local security.

“I’m firing them right now.”

But I don’t think so, Dylan whispered nervously. I frowned and replied.

“Stop. I need to think.”

I appreciate his concern for me, but it’s distracting.

Dylan immediately shut up, and I was able to get some quiet time to think things through.

I stared at the kneeling Jack Rogers.

Hmm. Is firing this man really the best option?

As for hiring others, it was hard to imagine that the other mercenaries in the area were any better than these.

Dylan seems to have a strict personality, so he probably hired these people because he judged them to be the best.

Then should I send people from the Balthus Territory?

Count Balthus’s guards may be loyal to him, but there are different types of cases to be handled in the capital than on a secluded country estate.

That means she needs someone local.

Jack Rogers has endured the humiliation of kneeling and bowing before Roche in silence.

Oh horror, even arrogant, spoiled mercenaries…….

‘If you can bow your head if forced by strength?’

I smiled at the corner of my mouth. And I took a step. Toward Roche and Jack Rogers.

Roche’s emerald eyes, which had been looking at Jack Rogers kneeling, turned to me.

He had been as emotionless as a doll a moment ago, but as soon as he saw me, he became a different person.

“I did a good job, didn’t I?

He asked, clearly expecting praise.

I patted Roche on the shoulder and whispered with a smile in my voice.

“That’s great, Roche. I was right to choose you as my bodyguard.”

Roche smiled shyly and bowed his head slightly.

I was stunned for a moment. His expression was so different from the one he had shown me a moment ago.

Who would have thought that such a shy young man could knock out eight people on the ground in less than five minutes?

But it wasn’t time to be idle. I regained my composure and spoke to Jack this time.

“Was the duel beneficial?”

Jack had no answer. He was still sweating pitifully.

“It clearly showed who stands in a superior position in terms of skill. Isn’t that right?”

After a long pause, Jack finally managed to find his voice.

“Yes,……. My Lady.”

“Then let’s do this.”

I declared, placing my hand lightly on Roche’s back.

“The command of the manor’s security and guard is hereby placed in Roche’s hands. Jack Rogers, you and these men under your command are…….”

Roche’s back stiffened slightly under my touch. Stroking the tense muscles, I withdrew my hand and continued.

“As Roche’s servant, you will obey his orders as if they were those of mine, and you will obey them absolutely. You will serve him well. Do you understand?”

Jack let out a shallow sigh.

“Yes, understood.”

He had no choice but to submit, although his pride might be hurt. He was completely overwhelmed by force.

But I didn’t stop there.

“Also… Dylan mentioned that you have the highest level of experience in security and protection missions in the capital.”

“It’s true.”

“No, it seems like a false claim now.”

Jack clasped his hands together in disagreement. He looked frustrated.

Of course, I didn’t think they had exaggerated their experience. Roche was just incredibly strong.

I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“We’ll have to revise the contract. The compensation will be reduced by 50%.”

“That’s not fair!”

Being the money-conscious mercenary that he is, he immediately protested. This is not the time to push back, is it?

“Really? Would you rather I fire you or find you a new job?”

Would finding a new contract be as easy as he wished?

I crossed my arms, lifted my chin, and curled my lips.

“Your competitors are really going to want to know why Jack Rogers was fired after only one day, and some of them might even be bold enough to ask me directly. I’m going to tell them the truth then……?”

Jack seemed to understand what I was saying.

“The world of mercenaries is all about strength and ability, isn’t it? I think your reputation will be in for some fun when they hear that my Roche single-handedly took down all of your men in less than five minutes.”