Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As Ian narrowed his brows, a young man and a knight fully entered the room. The door shut with a thud, and an awkward silence momentarily enveloped the space.

"Ahem. I don't want to make excuses, but I think I need to explain the situation," the innkeeper broke the silence.

"At first, I thought the knight was just looking for a place to stay, so I only intended to guide. But then the squire asked if there were any special problems in the area. So, I mentioned that our village has an excellent Fixer."

"Just get to the point. Keep it short," Ian interrupted.

"They wanted to talk to you. I politely refused as per the rules, but they promised not to cause any trouble, so I brought them here,” said the innkeeper, coughing awkwardly.

"I see." Ian nodded.

They're here to see me but won't say why. Contrary to the innkeeper's concern, Ian did not blame the innkeeper.

Knights in this world could legally turn into murderers at any moment. A knight's killing could be excused with a reasonable justification. Hence, knights were often arrogant and ruthless. Strict rules and chivalry applied only in front of those they recognized. So, the innkeeper making an effort to refuse was, in a way, keeping his loyalty. However, Ian's curiosity was more about the identity of the knight.

I definitely saw this knight somewhere in the game. Ian delved into his memory.

"Allow me to introduce properly," said the squire, stepping forward and clearing his throat. He slightly bent one knee as he spoke. "This is Sir Mev Riurel, a follower of Lu Solar and apostle of Tir En, the executor of the southern border and the blade of Agel Lan."

"I am Philip, the squire accompanying the knight. Pleased to meet you, Fixer." The squire, having introduced the knight, straightened up and gave a slight bow.

Ian didn't react to the theatrical introduction. Instead, he stared intently at Mev. ‘Damn it. It really is the knight.’ He finally remembered where he had seen this knight.

Mev. The Bleeding Avenger. This knight was the toughest mid-boss in the first chapter of Aquilonia.

Who would have thought that knight originally looked like this? No wonder I didn't recognize the knight right away.

The Mev Ian remembered was far from this noble and dignified appearance. The armor was dented and cracked, stained red with blood, leaking from the inside. It was inevitable since the knight had single-handedly faced the entire royal guard to assassinate the king of Agel Lan, almost annihilating them before Ian, who was then just a game character, confronted Mev.

Mev was incredibly strong, unbelievably so for a first-chapter boss. Despite hardly being able to stand without the sword, each attack was lethal, and the patterns varied. Ian had won because time was on his side; Mev was already near death.

Mev’s health, already below half at the start, kept dropping, even without Ian attacking, and faster with every sword Mev swung. Ian focused on dodging, and eventually, Mev fell, leaving only a faint whisper. But now, Mev in front of him was neither corrupted nor fatally wounded, a stark contrast to that memory. And to meet this knight so soon...

The situation is unfolding differently from the game. That's not good.

Still, Ian wasn't nervous, only surprised. He was no longer the low-level mage he had been back then, and Mev was not even aware of the fact that he was a mage. Ian was confident he wouldn't lose even if they fought. Of course, combat could wait until he understood Mev's intentions.

Ian finally looked at Philip. "I am Ian Hope. As you see, a mercenary."

"Sir Hope," Philip nodded, seemingly impressed.

Ian's composure, undisturbed even in this situation, was evident. High Mental Fortitude allowed him to manage his expressions and think clearly even in such moments.

"So, what do you want with me?" Ian asked directly.

"Well...." Philip glanced at the innkeeper and the maid.

Catching their eyes, Ian slightly nodded.

“We’ll be upstairs.” The innkeeper finally led the maid upstairs, glancing at Ian with a hint of anxiousness.

"Thank you for your consideration," Philip spoke as the sound of footsteps faded.

"Just get to the point of your visit," said Ian.

"We came to ask you something." Philip stepped forward, and he continued. "I heard you single-handedly annihilated a kobold stronghold. Is that true?"

Instead of answering, Ian pointed toward one side of the tavern's wall where the stuffed head of the kobold chieftain, its armor, and its ax were displayed.

"Believe it or not, that's up to you," replied Ian.

"...Impressive. Even the elite soldiers of the kingdom wouldn't dare to take on a stronghold alone." Philip showed genuine admiration. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

He's naturally good at flattery, Ian thought, clicking his tongue before speaking. "Is that the question you wanted to ask? Whether I have really wiped out the kobold stronghold?"

"Of course not. It was just to confirm we were speaking to the right person. Let's get to the main issue...” Philip lowered his voice as he spoke, “Did you notice anything unusual at the kobold stronghold?"

"Unusual?" asked Ian.

"Something you wouldn't normally see in kobolds. Signs of black magic, or anything similar that's ominous,” replied Philip.

Ian raised an eyebrow.

Mev seeking a black mage? This was another unexpected turn. He hadn't noticed any such connection in the game. Or is this a sub-quest I missed, not a change in the situation?

Despite Ian’s doubts, one thing became clear. He held the key to the conversation.

"Well...," said Ian, he then continued. "I see no reason to share such information even if I had."

"It's a matter concerning the kingdom's safety. Please cooperate." For the first time, Philip's smile faltered.

"Not a bad offer, agreed." Ian picked up the purse. Mev's expression tightened as she took the essence bead.

"It feels much more ominous than I expected," said Mev.

"Be cautious. That mage might spy on you through it," After transferring the gold coins to his spatial storage, Ian extended the empty purse.

"If he tries, I welcome it. It would allow me to find his hideout." Mev, placing the token in her pocket, spoke calmly and then locked eyes with Ian again.

As Mev placed the essence bead into the purse, she met Ian’s eyes.

"I have another request. If possible, I would like you to accompany me," said Mev.

"Me too...?" asked Ian.

At that moment, a translucent quest window appeared before Ian's eyes. He quickly scanned the content. The objective was simple: to accompany Mev and kill the black mage. The deadline was before Mev's arrival at the capital. The reward was a skill point –– a missed sub-quest from the game.

It seems I was too late in the game. Or perhaps uninterested, thought Ian. From Mev's words, it seemed she continued her investigation alone while heading to the capital. This quest was only available if encountered during that time.

"As of now, you are the only witness." Mev continued, "Others might have seen something, but a capable mercenary who single-handedly defeated a kobold stronghold will be more credible."

"I have incurred the black mage's wrath, he might reveal himself to eliminate me," Ian added coolly.

"I won't deny that." Mev nodded.

"You seem honest. But...." Ian maintained his expression, interlocking his fingers. He continued, "As I said, I'm a mercenary. If you want my company, we'll need a contract."

Apart from the quest, free service was not his style.

"You mean to hire you?" asked Philip

"Yes," Ian answered.

"By the Light of Lu Solar. Now I see why you attracted the black mage's wrath. Already well compensated, yet still talking about money." Philip sighed exasperatedly.

"You seem unfamiliar with the concept of fair trade, Philip. Besides..." Ian glanced meaningfully at Mev. He continued, "If you hire me, I could help find him. Of course, with additional compensation if successful."

"The black mage... Do you happen to know where he's hiding?" Mev asked.

"Not exactly, but I can find out. It's my job," Ian answered.

"A village Fixer with such confidence." Mev's brow furrowed slightly at Ian's assurance.

"You said you had a week. If I find the black mage's hideout within that time, I'll claim additional compensation," said Ian.

"And if you don't?" asked Mev.

"I'll quietly accompany you to the capital. Then, I'll only claim the hiring fee. It's a deal where you won’t lose out. Isn’t three better than two?" replied Ian.

"Hmm..." Mev pondered.

Philip watched her with a nervous expression, watched her closely.

"Once we reach the castle and you testify, I'll pay you the same amount of gold as today.” At Mev's response, Philip covered his face with his hands.

"And if I find the black mage?" Ian, looking at him, smirked and added.

"What additional compensation do you want?" Mev asked.

"Let's see... Since you've been so accommodating, I'll return the favor,” Ian said leisurely. He continued, "I'll propose my additional compensation after he is dead. Fairly, of course."

"Your idea of fairness seems to favor yourself quite a bit,” said Mev.

Of course, it was. Ian intended to claim all the spoils, except the black mage's body. If they refused and terminated the contract, he could claim their possessions as spoils. They were potential enemies anyway. By then, the quest would also be completed. Ian's smile grew wider.

"Your concern suggests you believe I can find him." Having said his piece, Ian leaned back in his chair.

"Alright. I accept. Mercenary, Ian Hope, I hire you. The contract is guaranteed in the name of Mev Riurel." Mev stood up and extended her hand. Ian grasped her gloved hand.

"The contract is established," confirmed Ian.

"I hope your skills match your confidence and your integrity." Mev released his hand. Ian shrugged and turned.

"I'll prepare and return. Have some food in the meantime. I'll send the maid down." Ian headed for the stairs.

"My lord, do you trust him? I understand your concern, but this is..." Philip spoke up.

"It's not about Vernon. I just want to maximize our chances. The essence bead was heavily corrupted. A black mage capable of creating such a thing could cause severe harm to the kingdom. With war looming, we can't afford such risks," replied Mev.

Incredible loyalty, Ian thought as he ascended the stairs, glancing down at Mev's side profile. The Mev of now showed no trace of the vengeful figure who once sought to drown the castle in blood to kill the king.

Well, there must be a reason. As with all corruption. Ian quickly dismissed these thoughts. It was time to focus on the quest at hand. Despite his confident assurances, a week was not a lengthy period. Therefore, before diving into the task, he needed to lay some groundwork.