◈ 013. [Side Story] If you draw 100 times, do you get an SR ticket?
After instructing Ader on what to do today, Lucas and I left the mansion.
after about 30 minutes. Me and Lucas stood in front of the mercenary guild.
It was a mercenary guild, but in fact it was no different from an inn.
This is because it is a space where mercenaries who have not yet been hired by the empire stay, eat, drink, and live.
Mercenaries whose employment has not been confirmed will stay in the mercenary guild here for a while, and if you hire them, they will be transferred to the city, and if you do not hire them, they will leave for another city.
You don’t know when good talents will come and go, so it’s good to stop by often.
Even though it is early in the morning, you can hear loud drunkenness from inside. good to sell
“I will go in first, Your Highness.”
“no.”
I shook my head as Lucas grabbed the doorknob and removed his hand from the doorknob.
“I will go first.”
Then he kicked the door and went inside.
bang!
“Come here~!”
At my wild appearance, the mercenaries who had been playing around in the guild, pour and drink, all looked this way.
A passionate gaze is warm. About 100 people?
“what? It’s an unnim!”
“Did you go crazy because you wanted to lose!”
The bloody stares were burdensome, but I wasn’t scared at all.
Even though the eyes of these guys here are scary, they are more docile than the black spiders, and they say,
“I will be your employer!”
Above all, I am the A. You are B (乙).
I growled as I looked around at the mercenaries.
“What are these bastards? Aren’t you going to open your eyes?!”
Lucas covered his eyes with his hand. what. what. In the first place, I’m a psycho freak. can’t you do something like this?
We strode into the mercenary guild. I heard whispers looking at me from all sides.
“This is the third prince, Ash.”
“That bastard? If it goes wrong, it will kill everyone?”
“The one who annihilated the troops at the forward base this time… … .”
“But you killed all the spiders too?”
I cut through the noise and calmly headed towards the back of the guild. While scouring the mercenaries around.
‘Isn’t there a shiny guy?’
The mercenary guild is basically a place to ‘pick’ new characters.
To make it easier for players to recognize, high-ranking characters emit a subtle aura within the guild.
R rating is blue. SR rank is purple. SSR grade is gold. Something like this.
I walked through the mercenary guild and tried to find the light. Where are you!
“… !”
And eventually found.
An elderly woman dressed in a neat military uniform was sitting in the bar at the far end of the Mercenary Guild.
A soft purple light spread behind her silhouette.
‘An SR grade character?!’
What kind of windfall is this! I approached the mercenary without hiding a smile.
“Welcome to the Continental Mercenary Guild Crossroads, Your Highness the Prince.”
It was a woman with white hair neatly tied back.
His left eye was covered with a leather eyepatch, and a large cigar was bitten on his wrinkled lips.
I calmly sat down next to her.
“May I ask your name, mercenary?”
“Gladly. My name is Jupiter. It is an honor to meet you.”
Jupiter, an SR-class lightning attribute wizard!
Recognizing the opponent, I called for joy in my heart. Is this old lady already at the mercenary guild?
I chinned Jupiter, who seemed to be politely saluting.
“It’s a military uniform I’ve never seen before, but which country is it from?”
“It belongs to our Everblack Empire. You may have seen it for the first time since it was a model from a few decades ago.”
Jupiter proudly brushed off his old black military uniform with his hand. There are more than 10 decorations on the chest.
Even though I knew everything, I blew my admiration for no reason.
“I guess you were originally a soldier of the Empire?”
“I served 30 years. He even served as the captain of the 2nd Division of the Imperial Magic Corps. After retiring, I have been working as a mercenary and putting glue on my mouth.”
“You are an example of a soldier to be dedicated to your country even after you retire!”
“Not necessarily. The only thing I do is work as a mercenary because my life is tight on the veteran pension.”
each. Jupiter laughed. It was a smile like that of a villain, not a soldier.
“But the mercenary floor wasn’t bad either. I am earning enough to spend moderately because it is a performance system based on merit.”
“Looks like you spend a lot?”
“It is a bad habit of an old man who has lived on the battlefield all his life. I don’t know when I will die, but I couldn’t possibly have the concept of savings.”
Jupiter, who skillfully exhaled smoke from the cigar in his mouth, smiled at me.
“So, Your Highness. What are you doing here?”
“Do you have any other reason to come to the mercenary guild? I’m here to hire a useful mercenary.”
“Aren’t you here to buy a discarded card on behalf of Your Highness?”
As Jupiter grinned, Lucas’ hand climbed onto the hilt of the sword.
“Serious… !”
“Lucas.”
I grabbed Lucas’ arm and stopped him.
“Okay.”
“… .”
Lucas reluctantly backed off. He was still glaring at Jupiter.
“Rumors of the outcome of the battle at the outpost have already spread, Your Highness. You seem to have paid a considerable price for your bravery in your first campaign.”
Jupiter nodded, spinning his cigar around with his long wrinkled fingers.
“It’s true that we are scoundrels fighting for money, but we are not idiots digging my own grave. I have no intention of risking my life following the green-eyed young commander.”
“Right.”
I nodded and looked around at the mercenaries in the guild.
“But didn’t you guys come here to sell your life anyway?”
Some of the mercenaries flinched at my sharp tone.
“Isn’t it because you have no means of earning a living other than selling your life? But are you afraid of selling your life now?”
slap!
Facing Jupiter, I thrust my index finger in front of her face.
“Aren’t you an idiot digging my own grave? That’s a little strange, Sir Jupiter.”
“yes? what… .”
“Your career is splendid, but in the end, the reason you were discharged was because you were caught leaving behind the military secretly. Wasn’t that my grave digging?”
“?!”
Jupiter’s only eye widened. I bet you didn’t know that I knew everything.
I smiled and continued.
“I touched everything from corruption in the defense industry to smuggling with enemy countries. When his tail was stepped on, he was dishonorably discharged as if he were being chased! Still wearing the military uniform proudly. How shameless!”
The incarnation of corruption. A fallen, rotten soldier. A disgraced veteran whose major was expunged.
However, only his ability as a combatant is real. A heroine more suited to a pirate than a soldier.
That is the old blitzkrieg Jupiter.
Jupiter bit his lip. The tip of the cigar trembled.
“majesty. Even though it ended badly, I have pride as an Imperial soldier. Be careful what you say… … .”
“How much?”
I laughed and cut her off.
“How much can you sell your pride to me?”
“… .”
Jupiter’s eyes narrowed. We met eyes for a moment.
Rather, this kind of person is more trustworthy. Because there is only one principle of action.
money.
only money!
“How long will you be my hound?”
Jupiter laughed and brought the cigar he was holding back to his mouth.
“Even though it looks like this, it’s a pretty expensive body. I am receiving 100,000 Adele a year… … .”
“200,000.”
Took.
A cigar landed on the bar table. Jupiter asked with a suspicious face.
“yes?”
“Give me twice. 200,000.”
It may be a high amount for a mercenary’s salary, but I am the prince of the empire and the lord of this city.
More than anything, it was just after selling around 400 high-end magic stones.
Do you want money?
If you can buy an SR grade hero confirmation ticket, I’ll do it for you.
“Fear of your death! I will buy it. I’ll pay you twice your previous annual salary as a lump sum!”
Originally, mercenaries were hired on a weekly basis. Because it is the life of a fly that does not know when it will die.
But I was going to throw it all at once with my annual salary.
I took out a bundle of gold certificates from my bosom.
After counting the certificate in my hand, I looked around the inside of the guild and smiled.
“All the cowards who don’t want to sell their lives, get out of here! However, if you are a real mercenary who wants to earn a lot of gold coins, come to the clearing on the west side of the Crossroads tonight.”
I left my last words and turned around. He got out of the guild as he received the eyes of the mercenaries in despair.
Lucas, who hurriedly caught up behind me, looked back at the closed door of the guild and asked.
“The mercenaries… Shall we come?”
“then. Will definitely come.”
This is the monster front line where the losers flow in and pool.
All the mercenaries gather together with the dream of getting out of there with a bang.
To these people, doubling the annual salary would be a rotten offer.
Money is scarier than death.
The truth is the same for the earth and this world.
“I don’t know about the other mercenaries, but Jupiter must be recruited. We really need a wide range striker in our party.”
“But, according to Your Highness, she seems like a very retarded woman.”
“On the battlefield, Lucas. Competent trash is more reliable than incompetent moralist.”
Monsters don’t follow morals. It just kills people in front of it.
This is not a moral situation either. All you need is the ability to kill monsters.
“… Well, that’s the story of the battlefield.”
I smiled bitterly and got into the waiting carriage.
“As a lord, you should do a little bit of morality.”
***
The next place I stopped by was the temple.
It was because Lucas used the torch to treat the burns he suffered in the previous stage.
It doesn’t matter when I fix this, but I came quietly because I had business at the temple.
“Welcome, Your Highness the Prince. I was waiting.”
A young woman clad in a priestly robe greeted me.
Saint Marherita, representative of R-class heroes. With a skill set that was only limited to heal and shield, he was a top-tier healer in the game.
‘I can recruit them later if certain conditions are met.’
I’m not here to recruit him today.
Marherita instantly healed my burns. It felt like it took less than 5 minutes.
“It’s done. A slight scar will remain.”
“Thank you, saintess.”
I put my unbandaged hands together in front of my chest and nodded to Lucas.
Lucas handed me a bag of gold coins he was holding, and I put the whole thing in the offering box.
“Then, as I contacted you in advance, Holy Lady… .”
I sent Damian here in advance last night.
To deliver my business. As if the story was already over, Marherita nodded happily.
“yes. I have called all priests whose schedules are currently empty.”
About a dozen priests who were waiting bowed to me. Among them was Damian.
Damian smiled shyly, and I gave a thin eye smile.
“Then let’s go right away.”
I led the priests and walked in the lead.
“I have a lot of work to do today. You’re going to have a hard time.”
***
That evening. West of Crossroads.
Under the sky dyed red by the setting sun, a procession of coffins from the advance base arrived.
It was not enough to airlift the remaining coffins on the Crossroads, so I had to send some of my troops to the forest to make the coffins.
In the western wasteland vacant lot, soldiers had been ordered to dig a grave in advance. Coffins entered the empty space one by one.
The priests recited prayers for each coffin.
The coffin went into Ken’s grave, which was erected in front. I stared at the scene silently.
The choir sang while watching this process.
It was an impromptu choir recruited from not only Crossroads, but also from nearby villages, if anyone knew how to sing. It was rushed, but it was quite listenable.
La La La… la la la la… … .
A sad and beautiful song rang out.
Citizens rushed out to see this scene.
Soldiers lined up in an orderly fashion. Imperial flags on each coffin. Massive choir. It was a proper funeral, which is rare in this city where death is common and humble.
Above all, compensation to be returned to the bereaved families.
The story of the amount of compensation spread among the citizens who came out to watch.
Surprised by the amount, people murmured. Soon, rumors will spread quickly.
‘I have no intention of wrapping it.’
I laughed bitterly inwardly as I saw the citizens buzzing in surprise as I intended.
Yeah, I don’t plan on packing. this is a show But it’s a reasonable show.
‘Loyalty doesn’t come for free.’
Reward for dedication. honor in death.
Only this reward and honor produce loyalty.
‘Fighting here on the front should be accepted as a noble mission for humanity.’
Not reluctantly, but willingly. You have to open your chest and fight the monster.
And only then will the mercenaries become a real army.
“This is Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack, the 3rd Prince who was newly inaugurated as Lord.”
After a series of ceremony, I stood in front of the cloud-like crowd of citizens.
It was a bit ironic that the first meeting between the lord and the citizens was at a funeral.
“Is that the new lord?”
“The last prince?”
“Your personality seems dirty… .”
Jupiter and the mercenaries could be seen among the citizens chattering wildly. You came right.
“I will tell you first.”
Thousands of eyes have been pouring in, but is it because of the long career as a streamer? Or was it because the feeling of fear evaporated from wallowing with monsters?
I wasn’t very nervous. The words I had prepared came out smoothly.
“You will die on the fronts from now on!”
