Chapter 122 (1/2)

Chapter 122: Operating a Mercenary Band

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

River Cove Town was made extremely lively by a soldier recruitment exercise held by the town hall. Many aspiring soldiers in the areas surrounding the Girvent Forest who were eager to attain military achievements had made their way to town. There were even experienced mercenaries who were tired of the vagabond life, and were seeking to work for a more structured and stable organization.

The crowd had also attracted some groups of merchants, and peculiar gadgets and accessories could be seen being sold on the streets. The people of Firuman loved to shop as well, and all these intriguing items had attracted many tourists to River Cove Town for a few days of fun. As a result, the town became even more crowded, which then attracted the circus, which deemed it as a highly profitable spot to hold performances.

This was the scene that Link was greeted with when he returned to River Cove Town. The two sides of the road were filled with stalls selling a variety of items, ranging from fresh fruits and vegetables to toys and even lucky charms. The previously empty spot just outside of town now had a large carriage, where many exotic animals were performing stunts and attracting many onlookers.

Looking at this scene through the window of his carriage, Link exclaimed, “What a rare sight.”

The town was really small and the crowd made it even more difficult for the carriage to maneuver itself through the narrow streets. It took Link 20 minutes to get from the town entrance to the house of the Flamingo Band of Mercenaries.

Compared to before, the house had expanded and had become livelier. Cheers could be heard from the training fields located directly beside the house. It seemed like the members were in the midst of training.

However, Link found a few things peculiar. He realized that the house was still protected merely by a wooden fence and the door was still an ordinary wooden door. Even the damages on the door had not been fixed.

While the number of members had increased, their equipment seemed old and their clothes tattered. Except for the Flamingo necklace that hung around their necks, they looked no different from ordinary mercenaries. Link even saw a few members squatting in the corner of the yard to consume their meals, which only consisted of bread and a bowl of soup. The conditions seemed rough.

Link frowned. “Didn’t Lucy say that the mercenary band was making a profit? She even sent 1000 gold coins over to the academy. This does not resemble anything that she told me.”

The mercenary band should be earning at least 1500 gold coins to be able to send over 1000 gold coins to the academy. This was a huge amount of money for an ordinary person. It was not possible to earn this amount of money simply accomplishing ordinary tasks. The only possible explanation was a successful raid of a large bandit’s hideout.

But as Link looked around the courtyard, there was not a single injured mercenary in sight. This meant that there were no recent battles that mobilized a large group of mercenaries.

Even if the money did come from other sources, some of it should have been used to upgrade their equipment and to repair the yard. It would not even cost much.

Link had come to a conclusion, “Lucy was lying. The 1000 gold coins came from the savings of the mercenary band and were not earned.”

Link could figure out the reason for this as well. Lucy probably heard that magic research required a large amount of money and was worried that he would not have enough.

“So this is a loyal follower?”

Although he was used to NPCs being unusually loyal in the game, he was still extremely touched to experience this in real life.

Everyone only thinks about themselves on Earth. It is impossible for a person to be wholeheartedly loyal. They’ll be considered a nice person as long as they are mature enough to keep their negative opinions to themselves. However, the World of Firuman values the bonds between people and places great emphasis on status. If a follower swears their loyalty to you, they will never betray you. Link thought about this and sighed.

This sight once again reminded Link that he was no longer on Earth, but in an otherworldly dimension where words and allegiance were, at times, valued over someone’s life.

The crest of the East Cove Higher Magic Academy on the carriage was way too prominent. The moment Link stepped onto the lawn, Jacker came out to welcome him.

In comparison, Jacker had definitely become more well-built over the past few weeks and even developed a stern demeanor. His Battle Aura had also become more pronounced, looking more like a true master. However, this stern demeanor was not meant to exert dominance over Link. Jacker smiled the moment he saw Link and bowed respectfully. “My lord, you have returned.

Link smiled and nodded before taking the stairs up to the hall on the second floor. The first thing Link did was place 1500 gold coins on the table. This included the 1000 gold coins Lucy sent him and the other 500 gold coins were from his own savings. Upon seeing Jacker’s puzzled expression, Link laughed.

“The mercenary band had indeed grown in size. However, River Cove Town is a small place; it is not possible to earn 1000 gold coins in a week. I presume this was taken from the pool of money we earned previously?” Link smiled and stared at Jacker.

Jacker did not expect Link to return so soon, and even see through their lies so easily. He scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. “My lord, we were thinking that you might be able to put this to better use than us…”