Chapter 224 - Escort (1/2)

”Young master, Barnabus. I see that you have joined the guards. You look quite dashing in the uniform. Women wouldn't be able to move their eyes of you,” he said trying to appeal to the vanity of the young NPC. Sadly, his efforts did not work.

”Of course, women always find this young master pleasing to the eye. It has nothing to do with this ugly uniform,” said Barnabus.

”What are you doing here?” asked Barnabus in a haughty manner.

”I came to take up forging quest for the guards,” said Balthazar.

”No. You didn't. I forbid you to perform any quests or enter the coastal guard station,” said Barnabus. Balthazar was fl.u.s.tered when he heard the NPC, but his fears were calmed as he noticed that there were no notifications. Usually if a player lost favourability with an organisation or was banished from it, there would be a proper notification.

This time there was none, and he still had the tag of being an honorary member of the coastal guard in his profile information. So, he was sure that he could continue. The receptionist also didn't say anything and was processing his request for thee forging quest.

”What are you still waiting here for? Do you want my men to throw you out?” asked Barnabus as the two guard on either side of him began to flex their arms menacingly. Balthazar began to take a step back as he didn't know what to do. The two guards were listening to Barnabus and started moving towards him. If he attacked them in the main hall to avoid capture, he might lose the little coastal guard favourability points that he gained. He was stuck with no idea of what he could do. This was a completely unexpected scenario for Balthazar.

”Oh, you are going to throw him out?” asked a voice from behind him suddenly. It was the lieutenant. Lieutenant Bloom had come to the room and was standing behind the receptionist. He was looking very angrily at Barnabus, who looked slightly frightened.

”Did you finish your work?” asked Bloom looking at Barnabus.

”Yes, I have arranged for the lookout posts to be built on the coasts,” said Barnabus.

”I told you to supervise and help them in setting up the posts, not order my men to help you. Moreover, how do I find two of my men who are supposed to be working on your sides,” snarled Bloom.

”Sir, I was..” started Barnabus.

”Shut up,” said Bloom. ”You are a trainee currently and so are most of the members who joined the guards. I have put their names as such as they still consider you their employee. You will only be given half the pay and that too if you put your own hands to work. Now, join the others in building the outposts. They have to be done by tonight. Else, it would be all in vain.”

”And lastly, you don't get to give orders here, Barnabus. You need to earn that right yet. If I find you ordering adventurers or offering money for their services. I will have to punish you according to the laws of the coastal guard for illegal dealings. I hope you don't continue with this behaviour and the same goes for the pair of you and anyone else that joined today,” continued Bloom.

”You come with me to my office,” said Bloom pointing at Balthazar.

”Why is he calling me?” thought Balthazar as he followed Bloom to his office. He began to wonder if the lieutenant was going to suggest him to not come to avoid more conflict. As he went into the office, Bloom signalled him to take a seat.

”Your suggestion helped to avoid a fight between the town and the guards, but it also brought its own set of difficulties,” said Bloom as he took a seat. ”Though Theodore told his son and his men to follow my orders. It is hard to manage them. They are good fighters, but they have to consider Barnabus's words. They were actually employed by Theodore and he pays them. So, it is expected that they might be a bit hesitant to not follow Barnabus's orders.”

”That is true, but you can avoid it by not letting him be with them. Let a couple of your own men whom you trust look over him and train him. Wouldn't that solve the problem?” asked Balthazar.

”I thought the same, but it is not so easy. Even they are bit afraid of him and it is hard to not consider their situation. They have not signed up to be babysitters and they are not qualified. They would consider him to be the same as a normal trainee and would rather beat him to get him in line. But Theodore specifically requested that we don't do so,” said Bloom.

”Now that I had Barnabus as my apprentice and have reported my superiors of his mistake, I could use his name and kick him out of the guards,” said Bloom.

”That does solve your problem and would put all this behind,” said Balthazar.

”But I really am in need of more men which Theodore is happy to supply if I train his kid. He also wants his son to join the guards and learn a bit more discipline and become a man who can live on his own as any father would hope for his son. The beasts are becoming more restless for the past few day and I would also like to keep these extra soldiers,” said Bloom.

”This brings me to the matter at hand. I need someone not in the guards to put in some fear in him. So, I thought of you,” said Bloom. Balthazar felt like punching himself in his face when he heard that. He never had much tolerance towards the self-entitled snobbish rich kids, and he didn't want to take a quest in which he had to babysit one of those.

”I really don't think that I am capable of something like that,” said Balthazar as fast as he could before any quest request popped up. ”He wouldn't listen to me at all. It would be impossible for me to train him. He would just not care, and I would require to physically discipline him.”

”Haha,” laughed Bloom. ”You are thinking too much. Neither me nor Theodore want you to mentor him. We discussed it and decided on a simple solution. We have a small quest in mind which would take you to the forest. You just need to guard him so that he doesn't get killed or any irrecoverable injuries. A bit of fear would set many a man straight.”

”If you want to frighten him. I can attempt an assassination feint,” said Balthazar as he felt it to be better instead.

”That would just make him cry and force him to beef up his own security. Assassinations though bring fear wouldn't make a person to work hard. Assassin only aim to kill, and they happen very fast. It wouldn't bring the right effect,” said Bloom. ”The quest will be like a competition and I will tell him that you would be reporting to me about his performance so that he doesn't attempt to cheat or claim you work for his.”