A ten-star general of Katzen, a warrior who was considered one of the most skilled in the Katzen Empire and whom Jason attempted to persuade underwater.
But that too is now a thing of the past.
After being miserably defeated by the mercenary Acares, who had fought in place of Medea in a fencing bet.
To be exact, since his ring finger was cut off by his sword.
"General, why are you here like this?"
"Are you still teasing me when you know everything? Did you come here to laugh at me after seeing what I look like?"
His bulging, bloodshot eyes glared at Raju.
"If not, why did you come to me?"
The sinister voice was not that of Jared before.
The mercenary had cut off the ring finger of his right hand, which held the sword. It was already uncomfortable due to the aftereffects of a previous injury, so losing an entire finger was fatal.
So since then, he has never been able to show his previous skills.
Jared was a cruel and lecherous man who committed evil deeds wherever he went.
When the news spread that he could no longer use the sword, those who had been waiting for his downfall could no longer bear it.
Even the first Prince, who was supposed to receive the day of his death, was resurrected and took Jared's last breath.
Eventually, he was demoted from a ten-star general and ended up on the outskirts of this shabby slum, seeing the constant threat of death.
"I am currently on my way from the Strait of El Amuz. I attended the proclamation ceremony of the Empire of Valdina."
"..."
"I'm sure the General has heard it too. Isn't it quite a coincidence?"
Raju continued, pretending not to notice Jared's frozen presence.
"If it weren't for the bet that day, that tiny country would never have grown this big. They got so much in return for the General falling from the high skies to here."
"..."
Jared's hands twitched under the sleeves of his dirty robe.
The ring finger, which had already become empty, seemed to scream as if recalling the nightmare of that day.
'Yes, I have never forgotten it for a moment.'
The duel that day took everything from him.
If he hadn't been charmed by the Princess's beauty, and so hadn't accepted the 4th Princess's bet.
No, at least if he hadn't pointed his sword at the mercenary on the Facade-
"Don't you want revenge?"
"What?"
Then, Raju's voice suddenly interrupted Jared's recollection.
"The Continental Festival has just ended. Princess Medea will escort the guests to the port on the outskirts of the border. In other words, this is the first and last chance to plan something without the Emperor and Agemas' eyes."
"..."
"The Princess will soon return to her home country of Valdina. Then, the path to avenging the general will become distant. But wasn't you once a 10-star general? You don't plan on just disappearing into the back alleys of history, do you?"
"Huh, just like Jason's dog, your tongue is long."
Jared grumbled, pulling back his robe and scratching the back of his neck.
Raju smiled faintly.
'You're shaking, huh. My words are sinking in.'
"General, Medea, she is no longer the half-penny Princess she used to be. She is the only sister of the new Emperor and a direct descendant of the previous King. That means that if anything were to happen to the current Emperor..."
Raju paused for a moment as if emphasizing his point.
"It means that the Princess's husband will gain the right to succeed to Valdina."
In reality, even if Peleus were to die, the succession would not pass to Medea but to a foreigner named Jared.
'But what's Important is that this idiot with his strings tied up believes that it 'can' happen.'
"Apart from the fact that she is the one who caused the General's hand to be like that, it is a way to achieve both revenge and profit."
Ironically, neither Jared nor Raju ever talked about the real mastermind, the mercenary from Facade, Acares.
A fear so great that it takes away the courage to even face it because they instinctively know that there is no chance of winning.
Amid such a humiliating bowing of the head, wouldn't it be human nature to want to pick and hold the tempting fruit called Medea?
'But what can I do with these hands that can't even hold a sword?'
Jared, who had been looking greedy, soon looked down at his sleeve with hate.
"There is no need to worry about the General's hand either."
Raju spoke as if he had been waiting for it.
"Because you will be able to show the same dance skills as before."
"What? What do you mean! Tell me quickly! How? Is there a way?"
Jared grabbed Raju's hand urgently, his eyes lighting up.
"I can't bring back your finger, but I can replace it. However, it is a dark thing I am afraid that the General may find it too shameful to refuse."
"It doesn't matter. Since when did I care about such things? If only I could hold the sword again"
Raju clapped his hands in satisfaction as he got the answer he wanted.
"Then let's get started. They will come to find the General soon, so come to the strait after you have recovered from your injuries."
Jared nodded. The last remaining hesitation was now gone.
On the way out of the bar, Suha asked.
"Master, is it okay if we don't tell him that the First Prince is in the Strait right now?"
After being cornered to death by the First Prince, Jared avoided anywhere he was with his tail between his legs.
"If I had told the truth, no one would have accepted it. Besides, not many of the Katzen nobles know that the First Prince Is in Valdina, so how could Jared, who is stuck in this corner, know that?"
"But what if he finds out later?"
"Anyway, once he sets foot in the strait, he can't retreat any further. And once he gets his hand treated, he won't be afraid even the First Prince anymore."
You will experience the strange and overwhelming power of black magic.
"It's not just his new fingers that I've prepared."
Raju looked down at his hands. His palms were burnt black.
He summoned the black magicians himself through the pendant he stole from Jason.
"How dare a dog of the Grand Duke deceive us?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, black smoke shot out like an arrow and touched Raju's palm.
The flesh peeled off red as if it had been touched by flames, then turned black.
"Euuugh-!"
Raju gritted his teeth and answered, enduring the pain.
"Great Judges of Darkness, before I confess the sins of this wretched servant, there is something you must know."
And he revealed his plan.
The black magicians were displeased that Jason's men had come to them without permission, but when they learned that he was after the Princess of Valdina, they agreed to help.
Their ultimate goal is to overthrow the continent and revive the primordial darkness.
The first step was the Katzen Empire. If the superpower Katzen were to collapse, the repercussions would spread throughout the entire continent.
The black magicians tried to eliminate the first Prince, Cesare, who was the greatest obstacle to that goal.
But, incredibly, the first Prince survived the curse of the beginning. Their ambitious plan also ended in failure.
Eventually, the warlocks who failed to obtain Katzen turned their sights and aimed for the new empire of Valdina.
However, the Princess of Valdina is constantly thwarting their plans.
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