The procedure was smooth.

After a simple inspection, as if they had already spoken with the Saluki Merchant Guild, we entered Milgard, the capital of the Maia Kingdom.

We safely delivered all twenty—no, nineteen—carriages to the Saluki Merchant Guild.

Immediately after, we gathered at the mercenary guild headquarters and received the signature for the completion of the request.

Of course, as per the contract signed in advance, the completion fee for one carriage was deducted.

But what does it matter?

The important thing is that the other nineteen carriages arrived safely.

As they say, a person who frets over small losses cannot become a great person.

One should focus on the gains that are like a mountain, rather than the losses that are like a mouse's tail.

The Saluki Merchant Guild seemed to think similarly to me, as they signed with satisfaction and immediately delivered the completion fee.

Also, after hearing about the two attacks by the black magicians, the representative came out in person and bowed his head, thanking us for protecting his employees.

He gave us a hefty bonus, telling us to have a delicious meal in the evening since we had worked hard coming a long way.

As expected of a large merchant guild. They are generous.

Of course, the escort itself was our role.

But they probably hadn't expected such a large-scale attack involving dozens of magical beasts, half-man, half-beasts, and even black magicians.

Despite such an attack, it was a miracle that all the employees were safe and only one carriage was lost.

Well, it was also to perform such a miracle that they had hired two platinum tag holders in the first place.

Nevertheless, it is in such small actions and sincerity, such as expressing gratitude and giving us money for drinks, that people are moved.

The maximum effect with a small effort.

Although it may seem like nothing, this effect is quite powerful.

Even I would probably choose the Saluki Merchant Guild's products if I were to buy beef jerky.

That wisdom of focusing on what was gained and what will be gained in the future, rather than what was lost.

It was a passage where I could see how the Saluki Merchant Guild had become one of the top large merchant guilds in the Maia Kingdom.

Even I had developed a good impression of the Saluki Merchant Guild from this one request.

What about others?

"Wow! We saved on drinks!"

...Is this kind of thinking the exclusive property of the leader?

Our brave members of the Saluki escort team, who had come a long way with us, were so happy that they had saved on drinks that their mouths were stretched from ear to ear, and they rushed to the pub.

Camus was at the head of the group.

"Uahaha! Let's drink until our noses are crooked!"

"Alright!"

"Wahaha!"

"Aren't you going, leader?"

I answered in a solemn voice befitting a leader.

"A leader's day is a tiring one. The members can go and eat first. I'll join later."

"Hahaha! See you later, leader!"

"You must come!"

I stayed at the guild and finished some boring paperwork with the representative of the Saluki Merchant Guild and a man who seemed to be an executive of the mercenary guild, and only then could I become a free man.

The Heavenly Demon, who must have been quite bored, had already disappeared somewhere.

"Well then, this has been the Sherwood Mercenary Corps. Please come and find us anytime with a hefty pouch of money."

The representative of the Saluki Merchant Guild laughed heartily and shook my hand.

He was a surprisingly young man who looked to be in his mid-thirties.

"Of course. I look forward to working with you in the future. I heard that Mr. Ashuban's performance was amazing."

"Haha, you're embarrassing me."

"If we have another request next time, I think it would be reassuring if Mr. Ashuban took it."

"If the Saluki Merchant Guild comes looking for me, I must step up."

"I'll remember those words. Mr. Ashuban of the Half-Sword."

"Hahaha."

"Hahaha."

The representative, whose shiny forehead exuded reliability, exchanged a business-like laugh with me and then left the guild.

Now that I think about it, it seemed that the representative of the Saluki Merchant Guild had not come to this place simply to express his gratitude.

It felt as if he had personally come to see the new leader of Sherwood with his own two eyes.

Did he like me quite a bit?

I don't know for sure, but it seemed he had passed the test, as I could vaguely see his intention to leave a good impression on me.

It didn't feel unpleasant.

Rather, the opposite.

Even during the escort, the merchants of the Saluki Merchant Guild had always treated us with courtesy.

The mere mercenaries, including myself, had already developed a considerable liking for the Saluki Merchant Guild.

I can't think badly of them.

Since Sherwood is me and I am Sherwood.

I had a feeling that our Sherwood Mercenary Corps would be able to maintain a good relationship with the Saluki Merchant Guild in the future.

Good job, me.

I'm good at being a leader too, right? I can do it well if I try.

Now that I've also gotten to know the representative of the Saluki Merchant Guild.

I wonder if Hud will praise me when I get back.

After seeing off the Saluki Merchant Guild, only the guild executive and I were left in the room.

He was puffing on a thick cigar and staring at me.

'Was his name Venter?'

A sturdy build. A trained body. Scars here and there.

He was a man who looked more like a seasoned mercenary than an employee.

His age was around his mid-fifties?

He had a mix of white and black hair, making it look gray overall.

He probably settled here after his mercenary days.

He seemed to be quite smart, despite his appearance.

I asked him politely, as he was staring at me.

"Do you have something to say?"

The middle-aged man said, along with the smoke coming out of his mouth.

"Ashuban Sherwood."

"That's my name."

"The only silver rank mercenary in the former Sherwood Mercenary Corps."

"Hmm."

"And. The one who disbanded the Sherwood Mercenary Corps."

I stared at him for a moment.

Venter didn't say anything more and leisurely smoked his cigar to the end.

And then he opened a small box on the table and took out a new cigar from it.

"Would you like one?"

I shook my head.

"I'm not a cloud cookie lover."

"That's a pity. I feel sorry for you who don't know the taste of cloud cookies."

"It's not that pitiful."

Venter put a new cigar in his mouth and took out a square lighter from his bosom.

The flint seemed to be worn out, as it sparked but didn't light.

"Damn it. Do you have a light?"

"Come closer."

I created a blue flame at my fingertips and lit his cigar.

Venter's eyes widened.

"A blue flame... Were you a magician?"

"Not magic. Martial arts."

"...Black magic?"

I'm tired of explaining now.

"Think what you want."

Venter, who took a puff of the cigar whose tip was burning blue, his eyes widened even more than when he had seen the blue flame.

"...This taste!"

"Why?"

"It's a fantastic taste...!"

"...."

"You, what is this?"

"It's called blue flame. Be careful not to burn yourself after you finish smoking. It's a fire that doesn't go out easily once it's lit."

"Wow... this taste is really... kya..."

Venter smoked about half of the cigar and then finally returned to the original conversation.

"I heard you fell from the Mist Cliff. Was that not true?"

"Will you believe me if I say it's true?"

"I have to. The person in question is right in front of me."

"It's true."

"I see."

Venter let out a long puff of smoke.

Is it because the flame is blue?

The smoke was also blue.

"Have you been to the Mist Cliff?"

"I have. I fell from there."

"Ah, right. You did. The fog there is no ordinary fog."

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know either. Many magicians have conducted research, but they haven't found anything."

Hearing that, I suddenly thought that my sister might have settled there to research the fog.

"The Mist Cliff is a place full of mysteries, so it's not surprising that anything can happen. I guess I should just accept that a dead person has come back to life."

"You've done a lot of research on me."

"There was nothing much to research."

"What do you mean?"

Venter let out another long puff of blue smoke, like a sigh.

"Ashuban... I thought I had heard that name somewhere."

Even though it wasn't winter, his sigh was visible.

This must be the privilege of smokers.

"I went to stop Gustan myself when I heard the news that he was disbanding Sherwood, so I know him well."

"You seem to have failed, though."

Venter nodded.

"Who can stop that guy? Even if the king of the north came, he wouldn't even bat an eye."

I was a little surprised and looked around.

"...Isn't this the capital of the kingdom?"

"It is."

"The royal palace is right in front of us, and you're saying such disrespectful things."

Venter shrugged.

"What's the big deal? Who's listening?"

"I'm listening."

"You don't look like someone who would snitch to the royal family."

I scratched my cheek.

"Aren't you trusting people too much? When have we ever met?"

"That's my strength."

"It seems like a weakness."

Venter took another puff of blue smoke and said.

"How long do you think I've been a mercenary?"

"I don't know."

"30 years. No, 40 years? At this point, I've developed an eye for people. You're not the type to backstab."

...Thirty or forty years?

He's been a mercenary for that long and his limbs are still intact?

'This is a monster.'

Regardless of his rank, he is a man with an incredibly keen sense and an unbelievably outstanding ability to deal with unexpected situations.

Not to mention his eye for people.

It means he's no ordinary person.

I answered nonchalantly.

"You're a great senior."

"I've seen it for that long, but I've never seen a case like yours. A person who was known to be dead comes back as the owner of a platinum tag. What on earth happened in half a year?"

Venter shook his head.

"You're the first. The first person to come back from the Mist Cliff."

"Hmm."

Venter stood up from his seat.

He went to the back and said.

"I've heard a lot from Boris."

"He's not a talkative guy."

"It's not that I heard a lot, but that I asked a lot."

"What did he say?"

"He said you were a crazy bastard."

"He's a keen friend."

Venter went to the back and then brought a small box with an elegant pattern and placed it on the table.

It was clearly a high-quality item.

"What? Is it a bribe?"

Venter gestured with his chin.

"Open it."

As soon as I opened it, a bright light poured out.

There was white gold inside.

"Wow..."

I was worried that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between silver and platinum because they were similar in color.

But now that I see it, there's a world of difference.

What should I say?

It was much more luxurious, had a stronger luster, was smoother, and had a mysterious feel to it overall.

I glanced at Venter, and he nodded.

"It's yours."

I carefully took it out and held it in my hand.

"Hmm."

It was heavier than a gold tag.

The texture was more like touching a jewel than a metal.

On the platinum tag, there were letters engraved in an elegant font.

"Platinum Rank"

"Ashuban Sherwood"

"Member of the Sherwood Mercenary Corps"

My hand trembled slightly.

It's just three lines.

It's just three simple lines.

Why does it make my heart feel so full?

'...Finally.'

Finally, I've reached the same level as them.

It means I don't have to look up at them with a sore neck anymore.

I can now stand shoulder to shoulder with them.

How long have I waited for this moment?

In fact, I didn't feel particularly thrilled or overwhelmed with emotion at becoming a platinum rank.

But after receiving the platinum tag, I could realize how much I had wanted this.

A feeling of receiving a proper reward for all the hard work I had put in.

A feeling of being recognized by the world for what I had done.

I had to struggle to swallow back the emotion that was welling up in my throat.

I silently clenched the platinum tag so hard that it might break.

Venter continued his explanation in a monotonous tone, regardless.

"It melts at a much higher temperature than pure gold and is difficult to forge, so it requires the best technology. The best craftsman was attached to engrave it."

"Hmm."

"It means there's a reason why it takes a long time."

It seems he had heard that I had rushed Boris.

I answered in a slightly hoarse voice.

"...Thank you."

"Don't mention it. We're the ones who are grateful."

As I was about to take the platinum tag and get up from my seat, Venter called me to a halt.

"Where are you going? You have to pay the price. Platinum is very expensive."

"How much?"

"30 gold."

"What?"

I was going to pay happily, but it was an amount that made me say 'what?' automatically.

It's separate from the fact that I have a lot of money.

Expensive is expensive.

"Why is it so expensive?"

"Platinum is originally expensive. And the cost of the best craftsman's work is also added to the calculation."

"Damn it..."

How many pig's feet is 30 gold?

Venter, who was puffing on blue smoke and staring at me, opened his mouth.

"Or there's another way."

"What is it?"

"If you take on one request, the guild will cover it."

"...A request?"

A 30 gold request.

I had an unusual feeling.

"As you know, winter is coming. That also means it's time for the monster wave to hit."

"...."

"But, this time it's unusual."

"Has the monster wave ever been usual—no, has it ever been not unusual?"

Venter took out a document and handed it to me.

"Usually, before winter comes, magicians measure the mana concentration in the atmosphere of the north and roughly predict its scale. In the meantime, it has been fluctuating around 30 ppm. But this time..."

I looked at the document Venter handed me.

"...110.3 ppm?"

Venter finished his words in a heavy tone.

"It's no exaggeration to say that it's the worst in history. If we can't stop it, the kingdom will be destroyed."

(End of Chapter)