After listening to Mark's confession, Lucen didn't respond immediately, and after a while, he sighed. Even now, after knowing how mature Lucen was for his age, it was weird for the mercenaries to see a twelve-year-old sigh like some middle-aged man.
"So you were going to update your former employers about what we're doing, but with lies. Then, before you were able to do anything, Harlik had already intercepted you and stopped you from doing anything."
"Yes, that's right," Mark answered.
The other mercenaries did not say anything as they simply looked at the exchange between Lucen and Mark.
"I think I already know the answer to this question, but I'll ask it anyway. Why did you do it?" Lucen asked with a serious tone and face. A smile appeared on Mark's face as he answered.
"What other reason would a mercenary like me do such a crazy thing? Of course, it's for money. They offered me gold that would help my family eat like nobles for a year... I wasn't planning on betraying or anything. I would have just sent some random report, and that would be it. That's all there is, so little leader, if you wish to banish me or kill me, do whatever you deem is right. I will follow your decision."
Everyone thought that Mark was done talking, but then he looked Lucen straight in the eye, his Lackadaisical demeanor changed into a serious one.
"But if you allow me to stay, then I swear on the graves of our fallen brothers and sisters, I will never betray you again."
The other mercenaries waited to see how Lucen would handle the situation. In this kind of situation, Lucen did not know what to say; he was not truly a leader type of person. Even though he had memories of his past life, he was just a normal person who liked playing video games and watching anime, and movies.
Lucen, who noticed the intense stares of Harlik and the mercenaries, knew that this was something he should not make a mistake in.
'Since it came to this, then I'll use acting adept and just imagine a character from my past life being in this situation. Then who should I take inspiration from?... I wasn't really that into watching documentaries, so I don't know much about great men in history. I know their names, but nothing much... I guess I have no choice, gotta take something from the characters I know well enough.'
Lucen closed his eyes, and the image of a little girl appeared. She was called a monster by her enemies and some of her allies, but she worked with efficiency in mind. The image of another person appeared; it was a man who dreamt of conquering all with his men at his side. These were the two that Lucen knew enough of to copy, so he decided to speak using what he remembered of the two.
Lucen felt their personalities blending into him, his trait acting adept was kicking in as his demeanor changed, even his subtle movements were no longer his but those of the two characters in his mind.
"I see, I understand. What is a mercenary but one who dives into danger for the promises of untold riches? The soldiers of fortune. I also understand that I'm the person you were hired to kidnap, and you betrayed your employer for me. Not only that, but you did all this with your family in mind."
While he was talking, Lucen was walking toward Mark, and as he got closer, he used his gun creation skill to create a revolver, took out bullets, and loaded them into the revolver. Lucen, who was now within arm's length of Mark, pointed the revolver at his head.
Since Mark was taller than the twelve-year-old Lucen, he had his head down to look at Lucen. The barrel of the gun was now pointing at him.
He did not know what kind of magic Lucen used, but since it looked like a smaller version of the thing Lucen was carrying, Mark had an idea what would happen to him once Lucen decided to kill him.
Lucen looked up at him, red eyes almost glowing cold and clear.
"I may be young and inexperienced, but do not mistake that for naivete. You see, I believe in reason, I believe in discipline. I believe that the moment a leader tolerates betrayal without consequence is the moment a group starts rotting from the inside. If you betray me once, it could also mean you can betray me again."
The mercenaries watching saw Lucen pull back the curved metal piece with a click, on the unknown object he was holding. Even though they don't know what that was, they felt it was like a bow string being pulled.
"Still, you did admit to your mistake even though you were forced because you were caught."
Lucen's expression, sharp and unreadable, was no longer that of a boy. It was the mask of someone weighing a man's life not with emotion, but with logic, and a sense of command far beyond his years.
It was truly an eerie sight that the mercenaries present could not comprehend. A twelve-year-old boy was emitting such pressure simply from his presence alone.
It was like the Lucen they saw before was someone else from the person who was standing before them now.
"What do you think I should do in this situation, Mark? Do you wish for me to kill you or not?"
"I told you, little leader, do whatever you wish from me," Mark answered without blinking as he looked Lucen eye to eye.
Lucen pulled the trigger, and the sound similar to thunder echoed in the cavern. The mercenaries who had seen how their companions died yesterday, that sound means death, but surprisingly, Mark was still standing. Mark himself was looking at Lucen confused.
"If I were like a certain little monster I once knew, you'd be dead already. But I also knew someone who said a true leader shows his men a dream worth chasing. So I need to lead by example. I will need you alive so that you can see that wonderful dream for yourself."
Lucen turned the weapon in his hand and let it vanish into mana sparks, dismissing the conjured gun with a casual flick of his will.
"Since I decided to let you live, you better do your best. You wanted to earn enough gold to feed your family, right? Then earn it as one of my own!" A fierce grin cracked across Lucen's face as he looked at the other mercenaries. "Follow me, you fools, and I will show you a wonderful dream!"
Lucen's words resonated within the mercenaries, and for some reason, for a split second, the back of the twelve-year-old boy looked so much bigger, so much broader. It was like they were standing before a general, before a king.
Harlik and the mercenaries did not know when, but they all unconsciously knelt on one knee on the ground.