Chapter 90: The Trial (2)

Chapter 90: The Trial (2)

Dale first returned to the inn to seek out Harkin.

Elena who had been engrossed in a thick book looked up.

She asked with a happy expression on her face.

Ah, Sir Dale. How was the award ceremony?

It was so-so. More importantly, wheres Harkin?

Hes probably passed out from drinking.

To be so carefree in broad daylight.

Dale strode towards the stairs when Elena called out to his retreating back.

Ah, Sir Dale. Theres something I wanted to tell you.

Dale turned his head and asked.

Is it something urgent?

Um, no. Its not urgent.

Then lets talk about it later. Im a bit busy right now.

Ah, yes. Sorry for the inconvenience

Elena drooped her head in disappointment. Kayla who was standing beside her glared at Dale with a scowl that could cut through steel.

Her look was akin to that of someone who was watching a father too caught up in work to spare a moment for his daughter.

Kayla bluntly remarked,

My affection is fading.

. What affection are you talking about.

For some reason, Dale felt inexplicably embarrassed and responded,

I promise to listen to what you have to say once Im done with my work.

Only then did Elenas expression soften.

Alright. Ill be waiting.

Dale quickly ascended the stairs and opened the door to Harkins room.

To put it kindly, the room was far from tidy. Harkin was sprawled out in a mess.

Ugh. Ughhh.

He seemed to be in a deep slumber and was snoring loudly and occasionally coughing.

Despite Dale opening the door, there was no sign Harkin would awaken anytime soon.

It seems playing around has completely worn him out.

Dale approached Harkin and tapped him lightly with the palm of his hand, lightly by Dales standards, that is.

The sharp pain jolted Harkin awake, causing him to leap from his bed in alarm.

Wh-Who the hell!

Its me.

Their gazes locked for a moment before Harkins expression quickly softened into a more amiable one.

Ah, its Sir Dale. Haha, you couldve just said something.

You dont like it?

Dont like it? Quite the opposite! Waking up suddenly feels very refreshing, hahaha.

Dale explained the situation amidst Harkins exaggerated laughter.

A broad grin spread across Harkins face.

Is that the smell of money?

Yes. According to Garland, assembling a party could lead to better terms. Are you in?

If Sir Dale is going, then of course Im joining! Id have been offended if you hadnt invited me!

Harkin naturally expected that he would be part of the party all along.

Next on the list was Ether.

Dale expected that Esther might find the sudden request troubling, but to his surprise, she readily agreed.

Ill do it.

Are you sure?

The chaos unfolding in the northwest has already caught the attention of our church. They will grant me permission to go.

A shieldman, a priestess, and a dark knight.

These three were not only a stable combination but they also had spent enough time together to work seamlessly as a unit.

With this, he would be able to receive a high bounty just like Garland said.

Without delay, the three of them set out for the mercenary guild.

Harkin exclaimed,

Haha! Those nobles. By now, they must be in a frenzy and making a fuss. Its refreshing to see those who usually look down on us mercenaries begging for our help.

The dynamics of power can reverse depending on the situation.

At this moment, competent mercenaries were in high demand and were courted fervently by the nobles.

The party opened the guild door expecting a somewhat chaotic atmosphere.

However, the interior was eerily quiet.

Whats going on? There are plenty of people here, arent there?

As the door swung open, a multitude of gazes inside instantly focused their attention towards the entrance.

One of them shouted,

He-Hes here!

And then, as if on cue, they swarmed towards Dale in a rush.

We are from the Garum family! We wish to hire you and will offer conditions more generous than anyone else!

In that case, the cost of these terms might not be as exorbitant as they seemed.

Dale made his decision.

Ill go with this one.

Not a bad choice at all.

Garland announced whose request Dale had accepted.

The servant who secured the contract let out a cheer while the others showed disappointment or annoyance.

Watching the entire scene unfold, the mercenaries could only feel envious.

To think theyre all fussing over just one person

Will we ever receive such treatment?

Snap out of it. It would take more than ten years to become as strong as that dark knight.

Yet, an opportunity soon presented itself to the mercenaries who had been idly watching.

The servants who had failed to secure Dales services now hurried to recruit them.

Most mercenaries present were of lower ranks, but that was still better than nothing.

The guild hall quickly became bustling like a marketplace once again.+

The servant who had secured a contract with Dale led the group outside.

Then after wiping the sweat from his brow as if relieved he said,

Phew. Thank you for accepting our offer.

When do you plan to depart?

As soon as were ready, well set out at dawn tomorrow.

And the number of people?

Including myself, the young master, our familys private soldiers, and all of you, well be fifteen in total.

Dale nodded his head in agreement.

Fifteen, huh.

Powerful families were often overflowing with connections to high-ranking mercenaries and skilled individuals.

It was the families that were neither decidedly strong nor unequivocally weak that had rushed to the mercenary guild to hire Dale for a hefty sum.

Dale scratched at his helmet.

Their forces seem too average to edge out the other competitors.

Their current strength was not enough for winning the trial.

But not everyone was racing solely for the vice commander position in the trial.

Perhaps theyre hoping to pick up crumbs?

It was entirely possible to hover around, lead their soldiers, and then assist a more promising candidate in exchange for a reward, like securing a position in the imperial guard order.

While Dale was pondering the intentions of his client, the eager servant leading the way suddenly stopped and turned around.

Also, just a heads-up, our young master is a bit peculiar. Please, dont be too surprised. Hes really a good person, but

Peculiar, you say?

Ha, haha. Since were setting off tomorrow, everyone should get ready and meet at the designated place.

The servant hurriedly made his exit and avoided further discussion.

It was slightly unsettling, but the contract had already been made. Backing out wasnt an option now.

Garland made the selection, so it shouldnt be too problematic.

Perhaps a client not solely focused on passing the trial but rather looking to gain some advantage might actually be better.

Dale said to Esther and Harkin,

We need to start preparing too. First off, Esther. Like I said before, you need to wear proper armor. Lets go to the armorer together.

Hmm.

Esther reluctantly nodded her head, though it was clear she wasnt excited about it.

Understood. What else do we need to prepare The northwest is currently in chaos due to the outbreak of undead and an infestation of monsters, right? In that case, it would be wise to stock up on holy water. And, we should also prepare some tools for hunting monsters

Dale cut Esther off and shook his head.

No. Apart from weapons, try to minimize our baggage. We need to be able to move as quickly as possible in case of an emergency.

Huh? Why is that?

Dale answered the puzzled Esther.

Were more likely to face humans than undead or monsters.

Just then, several carriages sped past the group, kicking up clouds of dust.

The citizens of the city hastily dodged the reckless charge through the streets.

Move back unless you want to be trampled!

The coachman driving the carriage bellowed harshly.

The carriage he drove bore the emblem of a noble family, and in the back were a few knights, their servants, and men who appeared to be hired mercenaries.

Their eyes met Dales.

And Dale saw them too.

The knight who made eye contact tapped the sword on his waist. Then he turned his head forward.

The carriage passed by at high speed.

.

It was clear that the nobles didnt hire mercenaries without good reason.

In the trial, they would do whatever it took to knock down their competitors, sometimes without scruples. Such was the nature of humans.

Conflict was inevitable. A confrontation was brewing.

Dale turned his head away from the carriage.

Lets go.

It was time to dive into that fray.