CHAPTER 57: A SIMPLE DEAL

When the goblins attacked his village, he noticed how organized they were, strictly following commands from their leaders. That wasn’t normal, even with a shaman among them. Goblins at D-Rank wouldn’t let another beast lead them. It was clear the attack had been orchestrated by someone smarter. Now, upon seeing the Beast Lure, he wanted to know its origin.

After hearing the question, Arthur sighed inwardly before replying with a strange expression.

"The masked man? If I say I don’t know him, that would be a lie. In truth..." He paused briefly, his expression growing complicated. He had to tell the truth.

"Speak." Novarian’s gaze grew sharp. He had sensed some connection between Arthur and the masked man.

"Alright. His name is Arthur Vesper. As for his goal... I honestly don’t know if he has any real aim beyond survival. You could say he’s an eccentric, he does insane and unpredictable things at times. But he’s not evil. Or at least, I don’t think he is." Arthur answered truthfully, describing himself and explaining his apparent goal. He didn’t lie, but at the same time, he left out the critical part ... that he was Arthur.

Novarian stared at him, observing his complex expression. He could tell Arthur wasn’t lying. Still, he pressed on, asking:

"Do you know where this person lives? I have some questions for him."

Inside, he thought, ’I hope he has the answers I need.’

Arthur pulled a small cloth from his pocket and pressed it against the small cut on his neck. Then he answered, "He lives in my castle. But even so, I think it’s impossible for you to meet him unless he chooses to show himself."

"That doesn’t matter to me. He will come out to meet me. And if he doesn’t... then he’ll see my sword before he sees my face," Novarian replied with clear killing intent.

Arthur smiled faintly and sighed internally. ’This bastard really loves to brag.’ Then, calmly, with a more serious expression, he thought, ’I think it’s time to make my offer.’

"You talk big, kid. Meeting you wasn’t exactly pleasant, but you’re strong. C-Rank, right? More importantly, you’ve got multiple talents—I saw you use magic, the sword, and even illusions. It’s rare to find someone with three different skill types."

Novarian felt a bit of pride and showed a small, satisfied smile. He liked being praised, liked having people marvel at his strength. That was natural, he’d lived his whole life weak and worthless, always wanting to be noticed, to be acknowledged. As the saying goes: inside every adult is a child still seeking attention.

"Not really. There are plenty of people stronger and better than me." With calm poise, he sheathed his sword and deactivated the Absolute Presence skill.

Exhale!

Arthur let out a relieved breath. Staying calm under that kind of pressure had been difficult. Even though he’d reduced the effect using his Logical Analysis skill, it was still taxing.

’I need to reach D-Rank soon. According to what the system told me, my abilities will grow a lot at that point. I hope so.’

"Anyway, a few weeks ago, I lost most of my soldiers to a forest beast tide. Ah, I forgot to introduce myself properly. People call me Arvan, and I’m the lord of Thornsreach Barony."

Novarian was surprised and asked, "You’re a baron?"

Arthur answered with a pleased smile tinged with pride, "You could say that. But that’s not the point. I simply want to offer you a deal."

’A baron? I didn’t expect that. I thought he was just a young heir. Also... what did he mean by a beast tide ? Were they attacked by goblins too?’ Because of his admiration for nobles, Novarian felt a bit of excitement, though some doubts crept in as well, he wanted to better understand the situation.

"What kind of deal are you talking about?"

"Nothing major. But how about working for me for a few months, until I can recruit more capable soldiers? The barony needs protection, and having someone strong like you would bring peace of mind to the people. Since the barony borders the forest, monster attacks are constant. It’s exhausting—and more than I can handle."

After stating his offer, Arthur looked at Novarian and saw he wasn’t surprised. Instead, he appeared to be seriously thinking, then asked:

"How much will you pay?"

To him, it wasn’t a bad deal—he was already hunting monsters anyway, and if he could get good money for it, all the better.

"Well, typically, C-Rank individuals get one or two gold coins per month. But since you have multiple talents, I’ll offer three gold coins."

Novarian looked mildly surprised. He’d never held that much money before—not in gold coins, at least. Still, he knew he wasn’t just a regular Boundless or a C-Rank mage. He’d be B-Rank soon. So he shook his head and raised four fingers.

Arthur blinked. "You want four? We can negotiate that."

"No. I meant forty coins—for two months. And I get to keep any items I want from the monsters I kill."

Arthur’s jaw dropped. For the first time since meeting Novarian, he showed such a stunned expression.

"Forty? I know the pay gap between C-Rank and D-Rank is wide, but this is madness. With that kind of money, I could hire someone at B-Rank!"

Novarian smirked. "I’m not like other C-Ranks. And you’re not paying for nothing—I’ll wipe out every monster near the barony. You have my word."

After a short pause and long deliberation, the two reached an agreement: fifteen gold coins per month for three months of service. After that, Arthur guided Novarian toward the castle. A few minutes later, he slipped away and headed toward his next objective. Naturally, he circled around and changed direction multiple times, carefully checking his surroundings to ensure no one was following.

...

A few kilometers away, in the safer parts of the Thorndark Forest, a dirt road led to Thornsreach Barony.

Usually, not many people traveled this way, few ever visited the isolated barony. But today, the road was full of unfamiliar faces. A large convoy passed through, made up of three well-crafted carriages. Two were loaded with crates full of important supplies. The third, riding at the front, was a personal transport carriage—white, finely decorated. Despite its lavish design, it bore no noble insignia, making it look like it belonged to a very wealthy merchant.

Footsteps!

Around the carriage were several armored knights riding sturdy horses. Among them were official mages clad in black robes.

The knights’ eyes were sharp and powerful, scanning everything around them with pure suspicion. At the same time, they were tense—not because of potential threats, but because of the person inside the luxurious carriage.

Neigh!

Suddenly, from all directions, dozens of arrows shot through the air and landed in front of them. It was fast and unexpected, but the knights quickly moved to protect the white carriage. At the front rode a knight in full-body metal armor, his face hidden beneath a silver helmet.

The knight glared ahead and shouted with resolve:

"You’ve got some nerve!"

"Shut it, tin man!" Before he could finish his threat, a large, broad-shouldered man leapt from a tall tree and landed in front of them without a hint of fear. Beside him stood a brawny, tough-looking woman with strong features and a muscular build. Both wore primitive clothes made from beast pelts and wolf-head caps, making them look like true barbarians.

The man raised a broad sword and coolly pointed it at the knights.

"If you want to keep your lives, hand over everything of value you’re carrying."

As soon as he said that, dozens of bandits emerged from the bushes and trees surrounding the road, eyes gleaming with greed as they stared at the loaded carriages, weapons and arrows aimed at the knights.