Chapter 136: Serious Thoughts (2/2)
”So pretty much the same thing that would happen if people found out about my Hero title.” He shot back.
Sera thought about it for a moment, before nodding her agreement, ”More or less, although the whole Hero thing would be more troublesome in the long run. The Dragonknights were never expected to save the world.”
”Nevertheless, I think I would like to pass on that level of attention, at least for now. Since I've already gone to the trouble of crafting a memorable disguise for my 'Dragonknight persona' as you call it, I can use it when we're in need of a powerful draconic ally.”
She shrugged, ”If that's what you want. Then what we need to do is figure out how we will be participating, and in what capacity. Since you are a low ranking member of the Adventurer's Guild, there shouldn't be any problem serving as a mercenary. Alternatively, you could enlist in one of the armies, or try to find a position in service to one of the major houses. Nobles are expected to finance their own military units during wars.”
”Would there have been a problem with it, if I was a high ranking adventurer?” Mike asked, curious.
Brenden fielded this one. ”The Guild is, in theory, a neutral international organization. As such, its a problem if high profile members take part in wars. This really only extends to Rank 7 and up, though, and its not uncommon to see mercenary contracts for low ranking adventurers during wartime.”
”That makes sense. I guess that means the guildmaster from Wyrport won't get involved.”
The beastman grimaced, ”Well, the Crimson Disaster probably wouldn't be a part of it, even if she wasn't in the guild. I suppose you don't know much about the strategic considerations for Tier 4s, do you?”
”What do you mean?”
”Tier 4s are kind of like trump cards for nations, especially in the case of Tier 4 mages. They can single handedly change the course of a war, and most countries try to keep one or two in their service. The problem is that, if one side brings their Tier 4 into the conflict, its not uncommon for the other country to do likewise. This usually only increases the amount of destruction to both sides.”
[Ah, they're basically being treated like nuclear weapons.] Mike thought back to the way the guildmaster acted during the Night of Ruin. It actually made a lot of sense.
Sera followed up, ”So, its unusual to see any of them actually becoming involved unless the fate of the country is in question. However, we've gotten sidetracked. Have you thought about how you want to get involved?”
”I'm not really sure at the moment. I'd like to think about it some more.” He said reluctantly.
”That's alright, we probably have a few weeks, at least, before they make any major moves. Worst case scenario, they'll issue a Call to Arms, which will forcibly conscript anyone of the appropriate age, effectively making the decision for you.”
Mike felt a slight sense of foreboding at the thought. [Why does it feel like some flags were raised recently.]
This effectively brought an end to the conversation, and the group separated for their own purposes. The womenfolk took the opportunity to use the fancy bathroom to the fullest extent, spending the better part of the afternoon enjoying it. Brenden, on the other hand, simply took a nap on the couch.
Left to his own devices, Mike went to his room, broke out the leather-bound journal he'd picked up while shopping, and started copying down chants from the basic Elemental Magic book. He was enjoying the simple, mindless task as he thought about the future.
[Well, as I told Selenica back when I was being reincarnated, I really only wanted to live an interesting life. It seems like that particular wish is being fulfilled a little too effectively. Other than that, there isn't much else I want.]
He'd reached the point that his material needs were being taken care of, he had access to a wealth of knowledge, he had a group of companions he could rely on, and he could continue to improve and expand his skills without any real risk. Quite frankly, he didn't really need much more to be satisfied.
[Is it wrong to not have any other ambitions?]
He stopped his writing, when he realized that the sentence he was trying to record didn't make sense. The flow of the language seemed to be a little more disjointed than the others he'd copied down up to this point. The spell in question was supposed to created a sphere of quickly spinning wind. According to the description, it was mainly used to protect against arrows or other lightweight projectiles.
Considering the phrasing, he modified the chant slightly, trying to make it flow better. When he was finished, he ran the sentence through his mind, feeling satisfied.
[I can't wait to try this one out.]