Chapter 81 : Chapter 81

Chapter 81 - The Fateful Formation (1)

Bang!

People found themselves dropped in a forest they had never seen before.

‘A forest? But shouldn't the portal lead to the sea?’

Swishhh…….

The answer to that question became clear after I looked around a bit more.

Below the sheer cliff right next to us, waves were churning and breaking.

[Quest Complete!]

Reward: Survival

[You did your best to save many people. In doing so, you were even prepared to lose something precious to you. This star will highly value such a sacrificial judgment.]

Reward: Karma Points +255 (Number of Survivors × 0.01)

“The reward is certain, at least.”

Of course, it wasn't without a price.

“Kugh!”

Throb!

Just as I felt a sudden pain in my chest, a red warning window appeared.

[You have been cursed by the sea.]

[All stats will decrease by 25% for 30 days.]

[Your level has decreased by 1.]

“Haa…….”

It felt like I had sandbags tied all over my body.

“Master!”

Collie approached and supported Artier.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. It’s not like it hurts.”

Starting with those words, the people around us began to open their eyes one by one.

“Where is this?”

“We were definitely……”

“How did we get out? We couldn't use Teleport inside the castle, could we?”

Most had bewildered expressions, but a few remembered the situation just before the teleportation.

“Someone on the coast used some kind of magic and moved all of us.”

“Who was it? How did they do it?”

“Was it the Grand Magus?”

More and more people were looking around.

Artier helped his fallen comrades up and quietly left the scene.

“Why are we running away?”

“Because it can't be revealed that I used the relic.”

The Elven relic was a supreme treasure that even the Empire coveted.

If news spread that a mere mercenary had used it, there was no telling what kind of troublesome things would happen.

“That's wise. The Council will be pleased.”

Artier smiled at Tersion’s words.

Soon, they reached a mountainside where there were few people, and after confirming the sun was setting, they lit a bonfire and sat in a circle.

“It's a relief that things ended well, but now we have to think about what's next.”

Everyone nodded at Gerard’s words.

“Since the castle has turned to ashes, we obviously won't receive the quest fee. But we used a considerable amount of supplies. We need to find a way to recover this.”

This was why mercenaries were so obsessed with quest fees.

A significant amount of supplies was spent on consumables and equipment maintenance for each quest, so failing to receive the fee even once would hinder the next quest.

“What can we do? The only way is to take on moderately easy quests and slowly build it back up.”

“Or there's the method of raiding our party leader's wallet a bit?”

“Pardon?”

“Hehe, just kidding. But I am genuinely curious. How much have you saved?”

“I don't have much either.”

Artier hurriedly waved his hands.

He had recently splurged a lot to entice Roston, so his pockets were genuinely not in good shape.

If there was any consolation, it was that a large quantity of potions and antidotes looted from the general store still remained in his inventory.

Rustle!

Just then, the bushes rustled lightly, and Tersion quickly put on her mask and drew her bowstring.

“Who's there.”

“……”

“It’s no use playing innocent. If you don't come out, I'll shoot immediately.”

At that, five people walked out with their hands up.

“Trophin?”

Trophin smirked and lowered his hands.

“You’re in a really hard-to-find place. The others went to the nearby village long ago.”

“You didn't follow them?”

“What's the point of going? We don't have a single penny anyway, so it's no different from sleeping outdoors here.”

Mind if we impose?

Trophin said, holding out a deer he was carrying.

“It's amazing you managed to catch that in the meantime.”

“I can starve, but I can't let the kids starve.”

Tersion lowered her bow, and everyone gladly made room for them.

Thus, they were all able to relax with a rather plentiful dinner.

“The mercenary corps I'd dedicated my whole life to……. Damn it, it disappears in a flash, just like that.”

As time passed and it became the middle of the night.

When Trophin spoke with a bitter smile, everyone fell silent.

“Isn't the building you used as a base still there?”

“There’s no way a building on the northern frontline would still be valuable. No one will buy it.”

“……”

Trophin took a liquor bottle from his bosom and gulped it down.

There was no one left to stop him now.

“Kuhh.”

“What are you thinking of doing now?”

“Well……. Maybe I'll join your party.”

“Pardon?”

For a moment, Artier thought he had misheard.

“You said the place you’re staying at is short on combat personnel. Wouldn't it be helpful if one supreme-grade mercenary and four high-grade mercenaries joined? Right?”

The corners of his lips were twitching.

There was no way he would be drunk from just a few sips of liquor.

‘He's not kidding?’

I was truly happy, but there was a problem.

Artier's party was already full. The reason Trophin was making such a request was probably because of the lie I had told.

‘The karma of my lie is coming back to me like this…….’

Trophin believed that Artier was part of an unofficial organization called Destiny.

‘What should I do? I haven't even created the Destiny Mercenary Corps yet.’

Trophin watched the troubled Artier in silence before opening his mouth.

“Your party composition doesn't seem to have changed from when I saw you in Dorman. Are these four the only combat personnel you can employ?”

It was a sharp question.

‘As expected of the vice-leader of a large mercenary corps.’

Artier meekly nodded his head.

“That must be why it has to be an unofficial organization. With not enough members, you don't meet the criteria to form a large mercenary corps, and it’s a bit much for a supreme-grade mercenary to start from a small-scale corps. Isn't that right? Bad rumors could spread.”

“……”

“So let’s make a deal. If you accept me into Destiny, you can turn the Destiny Mercenary Corps into a large-scale one. How about it?”

This man might have already figured it out.

‘Why does he want to come under me so badly?’

I wanted to know this man's heart.

I wanted to grasp his intentions.

But that was not something I could do.

“The reason we haven't formed a large mercenary corps isn't simply due to a lack of members.”

There was someone else with that talent.

“What was his name? Gerard?”

“That's right.”

“Then what's the reason? The benefits of a mercenary corps would be greater than a mere party, wouldn't they?”

Gerard looked at Artier and gave a slight nod.

It had the nuance of seeking approval, and Artier could understand its meaning.

‘Leave it to me.’

Gerard scattered mana with one hand and began to explain, writing words in the air.

“It's because of the final condition for creating a large mercenary corps.”

“Huh? The final condition? What was that again……”

“To have successfully completed over 100 quests.”

“Are you kidding? You became a supreme-grade mercenary, but you still haven't completed 100 quests?”

“It may be surprising, but it's true.”

Gerard said with a shrug.

“Artier was in my party, so I know for sure. The total number of quests Artier has completed so far is 67, which doesn't yet meet the standard.”

Come to think of it, the only times Artier had solved miscellaneous quests were when he had decided to rest for a few weeks in Pons and after the battle of Kelta Castle.

Other than that, he had only sought out places where major incidents occurred or took on unofficial quests.

It was Artier's mistake that he had focused on the quality of quests but failed to manage the quantity.

“Since this condition wasn't met in the first place, we didn't feel the need to gather people.”

“Come to think of it, wasn't this guy the case who got a special promotion during the defense of Dorman? I had my suspicions, but I never imagined he hadn't been a mercenary for long.”

While Trophin had a troubled expression, Gerard looked at Artier.

“But since we have enough members, even by chance, I think it's time to seriously consider establishing a mercenary corps.”

“Pardon? Are you saying I should complete the required number of quests?”

“No, there's actually another way to meet the final condition.”

Gerard raised a finger.

“That is to receive a letter of recommendation from a noble.”

“A noble?”

Artier's mind became complicated.

Among the nobles he had encountered so far, had there been anyone with a sane mind?

‘Taskerben of Kelta Castle seemed somewhat normal.’

But it wasn't a very appealing option.

Receiving a letter of recommendation meant asking to borrow their name value. In other words, it meant incurring a debt.

“I don't want to be indebted to an imperial noble.”

“It's alright. There is another who can provide a letter of recommendation.”

***

A clear sky.

The wildflowers planted neatly in the flowerbed fluttered gently in the wind.

Not a single common weed or pest could be seen on the clean lawn.

“Bishop Ropin, it is time for prayer.”

A man wearing a silver robe bowed his head to Ropin, who was sitting on a nearby bench writing something.

“Please wait just a moment. This is an important time.”

“Pardon?”

Looking closely, a quill pen was floating above the parchment on its own, writing something down.

Realizing this, the acolyte priest hastily stepped back.

“I apologize.”

While bowing his head a few more times, the priest doubted his own eyes.

‘A technique to glimpse one's own future……. To witness such high-level holy magic with my own eyes.’

Flash!

When the quill finally turned to light and disappeared, Ropin slowly scanned the written contents with his eyes.

Then, with a smile, he rolled up the parchment and stood up from his seat.

“It seems a guest will be arriving soon, so would you help me clean the room after the prayer is over?”

“Pardon? A guest?”

When the priest asked back, Ropin adjusted his conical hat and smiled faintly.

“Yes. A guest I invited will be arriving soon.”

“Bishop, I may not be qualified to say this, but… you might be disciplined by the Cardinal. If you continue to bring outsiders into the sacred Papal State……”

“I will take care of that myself. You, my brother, were simply forced to help me clean the room at my request. Do you understand?”

“……I-I understand.”

The priest disappeared after those words, and Ropin quietly looked up at the sky.

“I wonder how much the fate of the world will change. What is certain is that you are at its center.”

Those who should die do not, and what cannot be won is won.

These small changes continued to pile up, becoming a great current that did not exist in the original game.

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