Chapter 7: Launching the Mercenary Corps

A talented mage…

If there’s a mage in the mercenary corps, our combat power will definitely increase significantly.

“Can a noble lady endure the life of a mercenary?”

“You’re enduring it, brother. Why can’t I? Besides, I’ve gained practical experience at the magic academy. I didn’t just learn theory.”

“Alright. But there are conditions.”

“What are they?”

“You must follow the rules of the mercenary corps. And in dangerous situations, you must obey my commands absolutely.”

“Of course!”

Lucia smiled brightly and held out her hand.

“I’m counting on you, Captain.”

And so, the third member joined our mercenary corps.

---

The next morning.

I headed to the Mercenary Guild again today.

The only difference was that the colors of the hair flanking me had increased.

Silver and gold.

Walking with two beautiful girls, one holding a sword and the other a staff, made me feel like a king.

“Look, it’s Leon.”

“That fallen noble who goes around with an Expert-level s*ave?”

“Huh? He has two women with him today?”

“Is that blonde lady a newly bought s*ave too?”

I could hear whispers from all over the street.

Lucia muttered quietly.

“This is the first time I’ve been treated like a s*ave. What a novel experience.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to clear up the misunderstanding?”

“Who cares what the lower class chatters about?”

It was a calm reaction.

As expected of someone from a noble background, she didn’t seem to care about the gazes of others.

Aria, still expressionless, glanced at Lucia.

The guild building began to come into view.

“If you’re interested, would you like to join our ‘Iron Wolf Brigade’?”

A middle-aged man we encountered in front of the guild made the offer. His gaze was blatantly fixed on Aria.

“We are a mid-sized mercenary corps of 30 members. We would welcome an Expert-level talent anytime.”

It was clear he was after Aria, not me.

“Thank you, but we prefer to operate on a small scale.”

I refused him flatly.

“But there’s a limit to what three people can do, isn’t there? In that case, I think it would be better to gain experience.”

“We have enough money.”

He scoffed at my answer.

“Well, you have the bounty from catching Bull Jack. But even if you offer money, no real talent will come to such a small mercenary corps.”

The man kept rambling.

“You’re bound to hit a growth limit eventually. A better way would be to join a mid-sized corps first, build connections, and then establish a new corps based on those connections.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Generally speaking.

But there was something he didn’t know. That I, with my ability to identify promising talents, was not like others.

“Thank you for the advice. But I have my own way.”

We were three now. It was time to register as a mercenary corps rather than as individuals.

The rules vary by Mercenary Guild branch, but here in the capital, you officially needed six people to register a mercenary corps.

“No choice. Let’s go to the s*ave market.”

I figured we should at least get the registration done.

Of course, there was no more great talent at the s*ave market, but I planned to buy some guys who were just sturdy and good fighters for about 10 gold coins.

For filling the numbers, so to speak.

But a problem arose.

“I’m very sorry. This s*ave has a prior appointment.”

Again.

This was already the third time.

I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

The s*ave who was clearly available for sale just a moment ago suddenly had a ‘prior appointment’ as soon as I showed interest.

“You didn’t say anything like that yesterday.”

“Haha… well, we were contacted quite suddenly.”

Behind the s*ave trader’s awkward laugh, a greedy glint flashed in his eyes.

It was obvious.

A rumor must have spread that I have the ability to discern a s*ave’s talent.

Though it wasn’t a rumor, but the truth.

These s*ave merchants were jacking up the price on any s*ave I ‘pointed’ at.

“Then what about this one?”

“Ah, that one also happened to get a prior appointment this morning…”

“Then the one with the axe over there…”

“That one has a prior appointment too…”

Prior appointment, prior appointment, prior appointment.

It was the magic phrase that popped up for every s*ave I took an interest in.

“Just how much do you want?”

The s*ave trader leaned forward as if he had been waiting for this.

“Actually… for the level of slaves you desire, the market price is a bit special. Around 50 gold coins…”

“50 gold coins?”

It was an absurd amount, more than five times the original price.

“Forget it.”

I stormed out of the s*ave market.

“Lucia, Aria. Change of plans.”

Publicly scouting at the s*ave market was now next to impossible.

In that case, there was only one way.

It’s to snatch the ingredients before the table is set.

“What do you mean?”

Lucia tilted her head.

“We make contact with them before they become slaves.”

“Is that possible?”

“We have to make it possible.”

As soon as I got to the inn, I changed into shabby commoner’s clothes.

It wasn’t that I needed to hide my identity, but I didn’t want to dig through the sewers in expensive clothes.

I tucked a heavy pouch of silver coins and a few gold coins for emergencies inside my clothes.

This should be enough to buy most information.

Aria and Lucia followed behind me.

As soon as we left the glamorous main streets of the capital by just one block, the very quality of the air changed drastically.

The pungent, musty smell of the sewer. The nauseating sourness wafting from food scraps strewn about.

Lucia covered her nose with a handkerchief, her face scrunched up in a deep frown.

“Brother, how in the world do you know a place like this? I can’t even breathe!”

“These back alleys are where the real information flows.”

I retorted bluntly.

“No, but still… you haven’t been frequenting places like this since before, have you? I mean… that the family looked down on…”

This girl, here she goes again.

“Shut up. If I need information, I’m the type to dig through a cesspool! You need to lose that noble attitude!”

Lucia pouted.

“Hehe, just kidding, just kidding.”

After that, she didn’t chatter anymore.

Aria remained expressionless.

That girl doesn’t even bat an eye in an environment like this.

At the end of a narrow, slippery alley, I stood before a flight of stairs leading down to a basement from which a sinister energy oozed.

As I pushed open the creaky old wooden door and went inside, the already terrible sewer smell seemed to embed itself deep in my lungs.

“Well now, what distinguished guests have we here! It’s been a while, Master Leon. Hoho, and the young ladies beside you… the blonde must be Lady Lucia, and that silver-haired one must be ‘her’ whom I’ve only heard of in rumors!”

From across the table, a gaunt-looking man grinned, revealing his yellow teeth.

Sunken cheeks, one eye covered in a hazy film, making me doubt if he could even see properly.

He was unmistakably a back-alley information broker.

The information I bought from him was expensive, but overall, it was highly reliable.

Without a word, I took the pouch of silver coins from my coat and threw it onto the worn-out table with a heavy thud.

At the clinking sound of metal, his greedy eyes softened considerably. Indeed, everyone is the same in the face of money.

“And what secret have you come to buy today, Master?”

“People who are about to be sold as slaves, but haven’t hit the market yet. I need a list of them.”

At my words, the information broker’s one good eyebrow shot up.

“Hoh… you have a peculiar taste. Be a bit more specific.”

“A former gladiator drowning in gambling debt. A young technician unjustly imprisoned. Or the children of a ruined merchant company… that sort of thing.”

“Aha! I get the picture.”

He nodded in satisfaction, then rummaged through a messy drawer and pulled out a few faded pieces of paper.

“This is from the last week. The fellows named here are all fated to fall into the hands of s*ave traders within a few days.”

Among the dust-covered letters, a few names instinctively shone in my eyes.

‘Galen. Former captain of the Royal Guard. Kicked out after a huge fight with his superior. Currently washing dishes in a back-alley tavern.’

‘Emily. Daughter of a fallen merchant. Drowning in debt after her father’s business failed. Soon to be a s*ave for sure.’

‘Wolf. Former blacksmith’s apprentice. Caught trying to steal techniques after his master’s death. Currently in an underground prison.’

“A way to contact these guys. I need to know that too.”

At my words, the information broker’s mouth split into a grin that nearly reached his ears.

After confirming the additional silver coins, the man gave an oily smile and whispered each person’s current location, usual haunts, and even their favorite type of drink.

I organized the information in my head and left the den.

From now on, it’s a battle of speed.

A little bit of capital, and negotiation skills.

With these, I have to snatch these guys up before the s*ave traders can even start drooling over them.

I returned to Aria and Lucia and gave them a short briefing.

“Change of plans. From now on, we’re going ‘hunting’ ourselves.”

Early the next morning, I took Lucia and Aria and headed for the outskirts tavern the information broker had told me about.

The moment I opened the tavern door, the smell of alcohol and damp dust hit me at once.

In a dark corner, a man was sprawled out almost like a corpse, buried among empty liquor bottles.

A shaggy brown beard, unfocused eyes. Shoulders that must have once been quite imposing were now completely slumped.

‘That must be Galen.’

I signaled Aria with my eyes and slowly approached him.

“Are you Mr. Galen?”

The man lifted his head as slowly as a corpse.

His vacant eyes scanned me for a moment before falling back to the empty cup on the table.

“I don’t know who you are… but piss off. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now.”

His voice was completely soaked in alcohol, rough and cracked.

I chuckled and plopped down in the seat across from him.

“Instead of talking, I came to make you an offer. One that involves a pretty good way to make money. That kind of offer.”