Noble Conflict and the Rise of the Parrot Mercenaries

Shirone knew this much.

At a noble gathering in the Kingdom of Airon, a high-ranking noble named Baltes declared that if anyone could prove themselves braver than he was, he would give them his cherished vase.

A lower-ranking noble, Moose, took on the challenge. His method was simple—he took the prized vase and smashed it to the ground.

On the surface, it seemed like a drunken incident at a banquet, but underneath, it was an event that revealed the deep-seated political conflict festering for years.

"Airon's noble system operates under a bicameral structure. The high-ranking nobles represent the king's will, while the lower-ranking nobles act on behalf of the commoners. This system has made Airon a prosperous nation, but the conflict between the two factions has reached a critical level."

Involving commoners in politics weakened the authority of the nobles, but it significantly strengthened the nation's wealth and power.

"The power of the high-ranking nobles comes from military strength, while the lower-ranking nobles derive theirs from taxation. A clash between these factions was inevitable. When Moose, a lower noble, acted out of line, Baltes was enraged. Though the matter was brushed aside at the time, resentment undoubtedly remained."

"But what does this have to do with the Parrot Mercenaries?"

"Three months after the vase incident, a civil war broke out in Moose's territory. An unknown army launched an invasion. According to intelligence from my family, the mastermind behind the civil war was none other than Baltes himself. Instead of using his personal army, he hired mercenaries to attack Moose."

"Wait… you're saying those mercenaries were—?"

"Yes, they were the Parrot Mercenaries. Many mercenary groups participated, but the Parrot Mercenaries achieved overwhelming results. It might have been a desperate gamble for a newly established mercenary group, but according to my sources, they were highly combative. Most mercenaries work for money, but those fighters had something akin to a belief—a conviction. Eventually, leading the charge, they managed to breach Moose's inner stronghold. However, just as victory was within their grasp, Baltes' personal army suddenly attacked from the rear, ambushing the mercenaries."

Shirone could easily picture what had happened.

Hire mercenaries to take down an enemy, then use one's own army to eliminate the mercenaries afterward.

A strategy that secured both victory and plausible deniability.

"Baltes never intended to completely eliminate Moose. The power of the lower nobles, backed by the commoners, was stronger than he expected. He only wanted to issue a warning. In the end, the mercenaries were nothing more than expendable pawns from the start. It wasn't even a real war—politically speaking, it was a flawless victory."

"But if it ended that way, wouldn't the lower nobles retaliate? They wouldn't just sit still."

"Of course. But they couldn't expose it publicly. After all, the high-ranking nobles were under the king's protection. There must have been a deal behind closed doors. The fact that Moose has remained silent about that event even after seven years suggests that he received compensation from Baltes."

Rian furrowed his brows.

"So in the end, only the ones who fought were abandoned? I can't understand politicians. This goes against the very concept of chivalry."

"It's natural to think that way. But that's how the world works. I've seen far worse intelligence reports since childhood. The world doesn't operate on ideal principles."

A heavy silence followed. Eventually, they, too, would have to enter the world where immense powers dictated fate.

The vase incident had nothing to do with them—but at the same time, it wasn't entirely unrelated either.

Tess continued speaking.

"In the end, those mercenaries were discarded. Most of the mercenaries who attacked Moose's territory either died or fled. Officially, the Kingdom of Airon labeled them as bandits. Even now, the few survivors who escaped the battlefield are wanted through the Red Line. That prisoner, Lucas, is likely one of them."

Something about this didn't sit right with Shirone.

"But they're wanted criminals. How could they survive for years, even on an island? There's a chance they're imposters. The name 'Parrot' isn't exactly uncommon."

"Imposters, huh…"

Tess gazed at the dawn sky.

"Shirone, you mentioned meeting a woman at the market. You said you got caught up with a strange guy and had to run away together."

"Marsha?"

"Yeah. At first, I didn't make the connection. But when Jis mentioned the Parrot Bandits, it clicked. I suddenly remembered the name of the leader of the Parrot Mercenaries."

"Wait… wasn't it Freeman?"

Tess turned to Shirone.

"Clay Marsha. That's the real name of their leader."

"..."

"It could be a coincidence. But everything lines up too perfectly. The Parrot Mercenaries rebranded themselves as the Freeman Organization and went into hiding. A foreigner named Marsha appears on the island. My instincts tell me they're the real deal."

"The leader…"

Shirone prided himself on being able to read people, yet he never suspected that the woman he spoke with could be the head of a mercenary group.

Or perhaps that's exactly why it was true.

'An A-rank wanted criminal.'

Looking back, it all made sense.

He suddenly recalled Marsha's smirk when she talked about the collusion between nobles and criminals.

And he remembered her past.

Tess didn't know Marsha's circumstances, but he could read the concern in Shirone's expression.

"Don't overthink it. No matter what happened between you two, we're not going there to fight—we're going to rescue Jis' little sister. We'll figure out the rest when we get there."

"Yeah."

Clearing his doubts, Shirone spurred his horse forward.

In the distance, the shadow of Toa Mountain loomed before them.