Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Investing Through the Status Window.

Episode 27: Gorge (2).

Lüttenbake Gorge.

A passageway connecting the southeast and the center.

If one couldn’t pass through here, they would have to detour around the mountain range for nearly two months, making it an almost unavoidable place for the merchant caravans. A long time ago, there was an incident where the rulers of the big city, Raplause, the Winterhorn Ducal Family blocked this place and charged excessively high tolls. The incident was so famous that even the royal family had to intervene and mediate. The gorge was that much of a transportation hub.

In fact, during the time the Ducal Family managed the gorge, neither bandits nor monsters dared to approach the carriage road, but after they withdrew, entering the gorge without a mercenary group became practically a suicide mission.

As deep as the mountain range was, there were many monsters and bandits. According to rumors, even demons lived there….

“It’s the curse of the gorge. Flesh melts away, and bones are crushed. That’s why no one can enter now. Because seven to eight out of ten who go in die—!”

Rising early in the morning and heading to the counter on the first floor of the inn, Allen heard rumors of incidents occurring in the gorge from the elderly innkeeper.

“A curse….”

“It’s definitely the devil’s trickery. Who else but a demon would do such a thing? They even summon monsters.”

“…Really?”

Allen chuckled. Among the events that occurred in the Lüttenbake Gorge, there were only two he found memorable.

One was the rampage of a dark mage, and the other was the molting of a named monster.

The latter was an event that occurred quite late, so this incident must be related to the former, right? …Of course, it might just be one of those ordinary incidents, but if that were the case, people wouldn’t be having such a hard time. It was a logical suspicion for Allen.

“So no one goes to the canyon?”

“It’s not that no one goes. There are those caravans that think they might as well die this way or that. Those guys give it a try once. There have been caravans that occasionally make it from the other side to this side. …Well, most of them were pretty much destroyed.”

“Do they say it’s a curse?”

“Everyone calls it a curse. If it’s not that, then what could it be?”

Allen closed his mouth around that point. It seemed pointless to dig any further. After all, rumors tend to be exaggerated, so it was necessary to filter them on one’s own.

Just then, the milk-jug mage slowly descended from the second floor. Regardless of age, every man with something between his legs had their gaze wander to those scandalous breasts at least once. When Allen, claiming it to be the cost for the story, took out a silver coin from his pocket and casually placed it on the counter, the old innkeeper swiftly swept the coin into his purse.

“Two meals as well.”

As the group leader placed the order for meals with the owner, Elena quietly took the seat next to him. While the owner went to the kitchen-connected window to say something, he spoke to her.

“They say there’s trouble in the gorge. That’s why everyone’s stuck here.”

It was a statement that scratched an itch perfectly.

“What kind of trouble?”

“Something about a curse or whatever. Anyway, that’s what they say.”

“…I see.”

Allen quietly glanced at the side profile of the milk-jug mage who was lost in thought.

“Once we enter the gorge, your role will become crucial.”

Upon hearing this, Elena looked at the group leader with wide eyes.

“My… role?”

“You’re a mage. So, brace yourself. And don’t neglect your training.”

“Yes.”

“…This time, you’ll surely learn a lot. It will be a very important experience for you. Surely.”

‘An important experienceㅡ.’

The milk-jug mage nodded slowly with a tense expression.

Soon, two bowls of food were served.

The man and woman emptied their bowls in the blink of an eye.

“Heyㅡ.”

Bulky Frank, lightly gestured with his chin towards the four approaching them. He gave a meaningful smile upon seeing the group leader, who had returned alive and well.

“Fortunately, it seems you haven’t been eaten, Group Leader.”

At that, the muscular woman snapped back.

“Fuck, do you think I’m some sex-crazed woman.”

When the milk-jug mage looked at the muscular woman with a slightly bewildered gaze, she tilted her chin up as if to say, ‘What are you looking at?’. …Her shamelessness was indeed remarkable.

Then, with an, “Oh right—,” Aiden drew the group leader’s attention.

“Have you heard about the gorge?”

“Roughly.”

“Fortunately, it seems a solution has emerged. A mercenary group is being deployed by the Duke’s family.”

“From the Duke’s family? Was there such talk?”

Allen had not heard that far.

Especially since he himself had been wondering how to get through the gorge. If the Duke’s family was stepping in, nothing could be better.

It wasn’t just anyone, but a mercenary group hired by the Duke’s family, so they must have been at least of high rank. With them, even if it really was a dark mage, it would be manageable.

The problem would be the traits of the dark mage. Since the game [Guild Master] started with random traits except in a few cases, it was impossible to determine what the traits of this dark mage were. However, since the word ‘curse’ came up, all that could be deduced was that it was probably a curse mage.

“Anyway, it’s a relief. There’ll be no need to go around the mountain range.”

“But, it’s not for free.”

“…What?”

“There’s also a participation fee.”

‘…Damn it, this is driving me crazyㅡ.’

Already tight on funds, Allen felt a surge of swear words the moment he heard there was a participation fee.

“Did you happen to hear how much it is?”

“Fifty gold coins per person.”

The men didn’t seem surprised, having already heard the amount, but the women immediately jumped in shock. Especially the muscular woman, who threw a fit.

“The fuck—! An entry fee of fifty what? Fifty my ass—! That’s fucking a lot—!”

“Did I set it, you bastard? If you have a complaint, go argue with the Duke.”

“Ha, you think I can’t? Do I look like I don’t have the balls or the guts?”

The muscular woman, fuming, pretended to head towards the Duke’s castle but then came back. Since no one followed her.

“Fuck, a bunch of disloyal bastards.”

“Instead of guts, you sure you don’t have balls? You look exactly like a dude with balls.”

“I’m gonna kill you, seriously.”

Aiden continued to speak to Allen, ignoring what the two muscular pigs were doing.

“But, you know, the mercenary group might give us a discount. It’s sort of like a hiring fee.”

“Really? That’s somewhat a relief.”

“Will you do it?”

“We have to. There’s no choice now. Four hundred and fifty, four hundred and fifty—. No matter how urgent, we can’t handle that many. It seems like the amount offered is targeting the merchants desperate enough to have their backs on fire.”

Right now, there were probably many who would want to go even for double the fifty gold coins. If they couldn’t deliver their goods within the contract period, both their reputation and payment would be shattered. Anyway, they just needed to minimize the number of people.

“Well, we’ll follow the leader’s decision, of course.”

“Right, don’t worry too much. It’s the Duke’s family stepping in. Would they do a sloppy job? Their honor is at stake.”

It was not a baron’s or count’s family, but the Duke’s family. Just that title alone ended all explanations. Such was the stature of a Duke, said to bring down even the flying birds.

“Then I’ll go with Aiden for a bit. You guys can either go back to the lodging or explore the city as you please. Of course, in groups of two or more. …Just make sure not to cause any trouble and end up in the security cells. Let’s not embarrass each other.”

“Yes, Group Leader.”

Commander Aiden and Group Leader Allen waited for a long time before they finally managed to enter the Duke’s castle. The queue was enormous. Especially for the merchant groups, someone joining the line now would barely get their turn by evening. However, the queue for the mercenary group wasn’t that long, so they didn’t have to sweat profusely under the scorching sun while waiting.

After a long wait, it was finally Allen’s turn. As he entered the building, he saw two people sitting in front of a long rectangular table. One seemed to be from the duke’s family, and the other appeared to be associated with the mercenary group.

Allen was not particularly interested in the elderly man of the two, especially the one from the duke’s family. Instead, the middle-aged man caught his eye immediately.

[Attributes]

Strength: 56

Agility: 51

Stamina: 66

Intelligence: 18

Magic: 7

[Traits]

♦ Genius

♦ Indomitable Will

♦ Handiness

♦ Collector

♦ Greed

♦ Touchy

♦ Hatred

♦ Insomnia

He knew right away that he was a remarkable person. Already a well-processed high-quality gem. Perhaps he was the captain or the leader of a mercenary group hired by the Duke’s family.

He seemed like a clear A-rank character, whose name would be instantly recognizable upon hearing it.

“Nice to meet you. I am Allen Dewise Pomwell, the leader of the Allen-Mercenary Group.”

“Come here.”

“Yes.”

Allen approached the table and submitted the documents he had prepared in advance. It was a paper briefly stating how many members there were and what roles they had.

After all, unless widely known, they were all treated as average mercenary groups. The Allen-Mercenary Group was no exception.

“Allen-Mercenary Group, you say. It seems there are recent records of battle participation.”

“We participated in a territorial war with the Wirgang family on the Romelon Plateau. We fought as part of the Hera family and won.”

The old man skimmed through the papers and nodded vaguely. However, the middle-aged man didn’t care about the documents and scrutinized Allen thoroughly. His gaze was like that of a critic examining a piece of art.

The intensity was truly immense. It was so sharp that it could be considered deadly.

“What do you think, Guild Master Kalim?”

“…Let’s include them.”

‘Kalimㅡ!’

Allen didn’t even hear that he had been granted permission.

The Kalim-Mercenary Group.

Though they were not among the top 10 powers of the continent, they were a strong force of the mercenary world that were right below them. …How many mercenaries had Ji-hoo sneakily taken from the Kalim-Mercenary Groupㅡ!

One of the three great fools of Guild Master.

Allen had met Kalim Vender.