Chapter 84 – 84 – I Don’t Like Cheap Prices
“That means he is not there. How can we bring in someone who is not even there! If you continue to cause trouble at the military camp, we will arrest you!”
“Show me what a riot is, boys?”
Eshen, with his eyes wide open in warning, seemed more excited than angry. As if he was hoping that there would be a reason to overthrow it.
The stunned soldiers glanced at our party members one by one. Eshen, a Tigrian who tears people to pieces if they are wrong. Nidro has horns growing on his head, making it easy to understand his identity.
After filtering out the rest of the team, who were equipped with scary swords and staffs, as well as Villena, who had scary bright red eyes.
The soldiers found me peacefully stroking a silver marten. Then, with a very relieved expression, he looked at me and confidently shouted.
“Linden’s soldiers never give in to the intimidation of outsiders!”
“···Honestly, isn’t that enough humiliation?”
If you live a party life, you will meet customers like this. There are quite a few people who write requests to lure people in as if they will give them a lot of money compared to the difficulty of the job, but then say something different when the party actually arrives on the scene.
It is said that this happened more often before transcontinental train stations were built all over the world. Unlike today’s parties where you sip coffee in a warm room, back then, you had to cross the border on foot, carrying blood and poop with your luggage.
It is said that the soldiers threatened the warrior party members who arrived with haggard faces after suffering so much, telling them to do as they were told if they wanted to receive the necessary travel expenses on the way back. Those of us who live in modern times can just hop on a train and leave if we don’t suit up, but the party of our grandparents’ generation could have ended up as a lost child in another country.
It was a time when partying was impossible without romance. Of course, on the other hand, as it was such a romantic era, it was not uncommon for a party of angry warriors to turn into a group of bandits after being stabbed in the back.
And ironically, as far as I know, the Duchy of Linden was founded that way. A case in which he started out as a bandit, became a warlord, and eventually established a country and was granted autonomy.
Because its history is short and its legitimacy is weak compared to other countries, there is a great obsession with the symbols that are the basis of rule. It’s as if wealthy families judge ostentatiousness and pretense more diligently than aristocrats.
For example… The same goes for these items.
I held out a sugar cube in front of the marten’s mouth, which was secretly glaring at me. The marten spat out all the stuff it had in its cheeks into my palm, then went into the small cage with a sugar cube in its mouth.
What was handed to Dambi was a heavy golden ring covered in saliva. It looks like it could be used as a stamp because the initials are cut out so bluntly.
“···Uh?”
“Why is that in your hand…?”
“I picked it up on the way. Can you see what it says, Eshen?”
I showed Eshen the ring that was rolling in my hand. Eshen answered in a slow tone and laughed.
“It says L.S.”
“What did the signature on our request form say, yes?”
“···Lorenzo Salamanca. The pattern on this seal that says L.S. Is probably the same as the one engraved on that ring.”
Nenya looked at the thoughtful soldiers and spoke carefully. There is no way that Linden’s soldiers would not recognize their commander’s symbol.
The soldiers suddenly approached with their hands outstretched.
“···Give it to me right now.”
“Oh, wait. Don’t do this.”
I leaned back and put my fingers forward. The soldiers urged with an expression that made their eyes roll over.
“Look, that’s something civilians shouldn’t have! Give it away!”
“We adhere to the principle of self-receipt. In particular, things like stamps should not be received by an agent.”
“···What?”
“Isn’t it Salamanca’s item? I am also a porter by name. I have my own beliefs about transporting cargo. It will be difficult to give it to you if Salamanca himself does not show up.”
The soldiers were astonished. But I just calmly took a few steps back.
And Nidroga stood tall between me and his soldiers, calmly looking at the distant mountains. I could hear Nenya and Morgan suppressing laughter from behind.
“This crazy thief…”
“Do you know what happens if you steal the seal that symbolizes military authority? It is an item given directly to commanders by His Excellency Archduke Lindborg. If you do anything wrong, it will be treason! Give it to me right now!”
“You said you were a thief. You said you stole it. You said you picked it up on the street? I found it for you, so why do I have to listen to such harsh words?”
I pretended to be silly and pouted. If there is no way to prove it, they cannot defeat the truth in the end.
If a spear knife is pointed at this point, there will be a fight, but if the rumor spreads that the weapon was pointed at a reputable party such as an extermination party, no hero party will help them.
It is they, not we, who created the devil cave near our house.
“And how can I, as a foreigner, trust you? Isn’t Linden a country that always has to worry about foreign invasions and espionage? If it falls into the wrong hands, I am worried that it will cause harm to your homeland.”
The soldiers and non-commissioned officers who were not in command only shed cold sweat.
“Now let’s be honest. Are you in there?”
“···I will admit that we were a little impatient because a demon cave suddenly appeared in the forest near the city.”
“It’s not that bad. If it’s a party whose reputation has been ruined by a scandal, don’t you think they’ll hurriedly accept even if you offer somewhat unreasonable conditions?”
I picked up a copy of ‘One Sun’ that was lying in a corner of Lorenzo Salamanca’s barracks. A few weeks ago, the newspaper’s editorial section was filled with mocking editorials about our party.
In the end, the warrior party is also a group that operates according to market logic. If you lose clients who entrust you with work, whether because of your skills or because of bad rumors, you will not be able to receive donations or receive mission rewards.
If the number of noble patrons or clients who want to be associated with a party that has become a subject of ridicule decreases, the size and performance of the party will naturally shrink. It is obvious that someone would have tried to take advantage of that.
Colonel Lorenzo stiffened. It may be because he hit the nail on the head, but it may also be because Eshen made a low, clattering noise.
“I expected you to work harder to regain your honor. But I never meant to be disrespectful to the ‘Petal Guardian’ of Great Elan and the daughter of the Dragon Lord.”
The Petal Guardian glanced at Nenya, not knowing what he meant, but Nenya just glared at our client with a cold face.
Instead of Nenya being silent, I continued to speak.
“You asked for a special monster extermination party, but you’re saying you didn’t know the special combatants from the extermination party would come? That sounds really strange.”
“…Um, ladies. Is this female porter your leader? I’d like to talk to the person in charge.”
Although he was a commander in name, he didn’t seem to like talking to an apt porter.
To me, who is used to discrimination, it is no big deal. But it seems that wasn’t the case for his colleagues.
Lorenzo, who had a blatantly uncomfortable expression on his face, soon became contemplative and had to run two steps away from his chair.
“This bastard.”
“Say it again. What?”
Eshen stood up, raising his sword hilt and gun. Morgan also jumped in and tried to draw his gun, but was embarrassed when he saw that her Eshen had his own weapon in her hand.
Her sister quickly waved her hand and made them both sit back down.
“Colonel, Lan Bantai is a member of our party.”
“···I know very well. Because I read one solar magazine.”
“Then you should know better. To disrespect our porter, who upholds our honor, is to dishonor all of us. Didn’t you say it yourself that you didn’t want to offend the Dragon Lord’s daughter? “
At the sister’s point, the colonel glanced at Nidroga, who was lying down on the sofa. Nidrogar was glaring at the colonel with a faint smile that reminded him of Lord.
The Colonel swallowed his saliva.
“I’m sorry for ignoring you. I apologize politely.”
“I accept that apology. I’m fine, sister. Thank you all for sticking up for me.”
I gave a quick thumbs up to my colleagues. Except for Nenya, who had an icy expression, everyone responded with smiles.
I looked back at the colonel.
“Since Hana Sunji has publicly stated that we are innocent, we can confidently say that there is no reason to keep our heads down for fear of losing customers. Now, Colonel, let’s talk.”
“What do you mean?”
“Is the situation very urgent?”
When I pointed to the horse cave drawn on the map, the colonel looked grim. That expression alone was enough of an answer.
“I must confess honestly, that the country does not provide enough budget to hire a party. Since a demon cave so large has suddenly appeared, it is difficult to push in only a hundred local soldiers.”
“Aha.”
“Before the central army completes its deployment, the nearby farmland will be devastated first. The miasma that spread from the demon cave is still turning the forests and fields into a crucible for monsters. The warrior party’s help is desperately needed.”
“Oh my.”
“In the past, the first Grand Duke Lindborg was not reluctant to lend the power of his Hero aptitude to his neighbors in difficult situations. I hope that you too will show the virtue of pity for the people.”
How could a warlord talk about his mercenary business like that? The distortion seems quite severe, but a Linden person might think so.
However, as I am not from Linden, I paused for a while and then spoke softly to the colonel, who had a sad look on his face.
“I don’t like it.”
————
Eshen returned to the station and looked around the railroad tracks and ticket booth with a blank expression.
And then I nudged the heavy baggage I was carrying.
“Are you sure you want to go home?”
“Can’t we?”
An answer came from Lennie’s side. It was a very sharp voice.
“Honestly, aren’t you a bit angry? Didn’t you think this was the right time to beat up our price? How is that any different from trying to kick someone who’s fallen?”
“That’s what I think too. The party is a group that risks its life and fights against monsters. No matter how urgent the situation is, if you ignore such shallow tactics, the entire party will ultimately suffer losses. What kind of world is it now and do things come out like that? “
As Morgan added her opinion, Eshen tilted his head.
“Isn’t it better to see it and leave even if I ask for more?”
“That is also true.”
I smiled bitterly.
“It would have been useless to bring it up on the spot. Since he never said anything about negotiating a price in the first place. Trying to force a special combatant into a demon cave in exchange for scouting and hunting down some monsters. That’s a serious evil. “I think you’ve been ignored more than I have been.”
“That’s true, too.”
Isilun looked at us with a humble expression. She looked like she was asking for understanding before saying something she didn’t want to hear.
“You need to think about it. Depending on the case, demons can be a disaster more terrifying than typhoons or droughts for farmers. If demons run rampant and the land dries up during the demons, many of those whose crops were ruined in the year will have to endure hardships in the winter. You will do it.”
“But when you ask me to walk straight into that typhoon and drought, shouldn’t I at least pay the price out of respect? The last time I walked into a typhoon, I broke my wing. I can’t do that for free again. “
Nidroga smiled cheerfully and patted Isilun on the back. Isilun nodded his head, but he didn’t seem completely deterred.
“That’s true, but the ‘reconnaissance and area clearance’ written in the request will be enough to buy the people of this town some time before the army arrives. Yes, not for the colonel, but for the people who live here. “
“···A warrior to the core. Even better than Thena.”
Eshen trembled and spoke as if he had been hit by static electricity. Then a young voice came from somewhere.
“A hero?”
We looked back at the child who asked the question. Behind the sniffling child, there were several farmers cowering in shyness and fear.
A neighborhood kid who was not at an age to be scared around adults shouted again on behalf of the adults who could not easily open their mouths.
“Are you warriors?”
