CHAPTER 86: MAKING A NAME FOR MYSELF

The rewards have been pouring in ever since we helped Duke Ravenwood.

It’s unreal.

Where do I even begin?

Okay, so... let’s start with our popularity: we have gotten even more famous.

I didn’t even think such a thing was possible, but now that I’m witnessing it with my very own eyes, I can clearly see it.

We’ve become a brand—an icon—to the people of the Kingdom.

In fact, I hear foreigners know of us thanks to the foreign envoys who take all the news and gossip home. We’ve become like the heroes of legend, which bards used to sing about since I was a little child.

However, unlike those heroes of yore, who were usually vagrants or outlaws, we have been wholly embraced by the Randalorion Kingdom.

As such a high-profile team, the level of missions we can take has naturally been bumped up considerably. For the most part, people actually have to make appointments with us in advance before we can help them.

That’s how packed our schedule is.

But no one is complaining!

Esther and Rupert need as much funding for their early retirement plan.

With sufficient money, they won’t have to worry about anything else when they open up their Alchemy Shops and Fabricant Workshops, respectively.

The fame also helps them in the long run, since it will be good for publicity. After all, who wouldn’t want to purchase Potions and Armaments from heroes of the Randalorion Kingdom?

Dahlia and I also made up...

Remember how distant she was during her family’s kidnapping? Well, I chose to give her some space, which put the relationship on hold. After they were found and recovered, we didn’t immediately go back to the way things were.

We had a long conversation about a lot of things, but eventually... we settled things.

She can now clearly see her avoidant attachment, and since she wishes to continue being with me, it’s something she has to work on. Communication is key in a relationship—secret or not.

With the popularity and support of the Randalorion Kingdom, as well as Dahlia sort of mending things with her family, our group has gotten even stronger. We now have more Armaments and Potions at our disposal.

All of us have at least one C Grade Armament, and I even have two.

My Silver Lightning Thunder Sword is one, but I have another... a defensive type Armament called Dark Wave Floating Shell.

It’s actually a token—no larger than my palm—but it emits a strong propulsion force to any kinetic energy that it registers. Essentially, it automatically releases a pulse to push away enemies that attack me.

The force is also proportional to the level of attack, ensuring my safety.

Of course, like all Armaments, Dark Wave Floating Shell has its limits as well. It can be countered by specific Armaments or the effects of Potions. Spells and Divination are also effective against it, so it isn’t all-powerful.

It also doesn’t repel things like poisonous gas, which is practically air.

As a result of all these limitations, I have to be very careful despite having such an impressive defense system. I also still have my Night Traveler’s Cloak and Purple Iron Guardian, so my defense is further bolstered.

Other than the Silver Lightning Thunder Sword for offense, I have also obtained several Expenditure-Type Armaments in case of emergencies.

They usually have limited usage periods, many of them being one-time uses.

However, they’re quite useful.

For example, the ’Dark Cloud Bomb’ we used the other day allowed us to create a storm cloud that kept hitting our prey with multiple lightning strikes, while clouding its vision, and also raining sizzling hot black ink all over its body.

Such a powerful range of abilities coalesced into a single Armament.

Of course, it would be a one-time use Expenditure Type Armament—but its power was worth it.

However, these things are expensive.

I wouldn’t even buy them with my own money.

The Duke was the one who gave them to me, and we received donations from other Nobles seeking to make connections with us, which is why we have a few of them in stock.

But, as one would expect from such items... they’re going to run out eventually.

Oh well...

I can always be shameless and ask for more.

Now, on to more important issues—especially the most important one of them all—safety.

As faces of the Randalorion Kingdom, there’s no doubt we will have garnered a lot of disgruntled adversaries. Enemies are rife in the Kingdom and outside of it, and so I have to be prepared for their emergence.

If it’s just me I have to worry about, it wouldn’t be so serious.

My teammates can also take care of themselves, and since they chose to come on this journey with me, they also share in the responsibility of protecting themselves.

What I’m most concerned about right now... is my family’s safety.

After what happened to Duke Ravenwood’s family, I realized just how brutal the enemy can be when it comes to their attack on you. They target the weakest link and force you into a place of desperation.

A wise person takes lessons from others and implements them appropriately.

I have to make my family more secure.

Thankfully, with the resources provided by the Kingdom, I have improved security in the Aditi Estate by multiplefold. Armaments and Potions are now readily available, and the level of guards has multiplied several times over.

The same applies to my business: I have ensured Uncle Damon and my brother are well-protected in their travels, even going out of the way to hire private retainers to constantly watch them and offer round-the-clock security. No matter what happens, I have to make sure the enemy does not have access to my family.

After doing everything in my power, as well as having all the right connections with the appropriate authorities, I am certain that no one would dare mess with me.

Even if they do and try to attack my family, they can at least escape with their lives.

With the Wandering Nine being recognized as the best Mercenary Group in the Randalorion Kingdom, and me being appointed the official leader, most of our requests now come from the High Nobility.

This wasn’t exactly what I pictured from my life as a Wandering Mercenary, but it serves me and my friends well, so we have no complaints.

At least, for now.

On this particular occasion, we’ve been invited to the residence of one of the Kingdom’s seven Counts, and someone I know personally.

Count Blake Winchester—Headmaster of the Randalorion Academy.

"Something dangerous has made its abode in the fringe of my territory. It has been capturing all the travelers and merchants who approach the major commercial district that supports the core territory’s economy. We suspect it to be a Magivore of the 4th Cadre... hence, only a few can handle such a beast." The old man, seated right in front of me and the rest of our team, gives us a worrisome smile, causing his wrinkled face to look more aged.

"I’d like to hire your group, among others, to help investigate, and if possible, stop the Magivore."

His earnest voice reaches me, and I nod.

Of course, we’d have to discuss this as a team before arriving at a conclusion. However, I’m more than willing to take on this request for the sole reason that I owe this man a lot.

He is someone who helped me a lot in the Royal Academy, albeit secretly.

If not for the likes of him and Miss Anna, I wouldn’t have been able to graduate with my level of distinctions. I even refused his offer to remain in the Royal Academy as a staff, so if this is something I can do for him... I want to help.

But, the choice isn’t left to me.

As per usual, we have to discuss the pros and cons of this job as a team.

This isn’t a Cadre 3 Magivore we’re talking about.

It’s a Cadre 4!

It’s on the same level as the Magivore that Professor Alaric turned into, capable of dyeing the skies red and killing hundreds within hours.

The required minimum when facing such an entity is Grade C Armaments, and it is impossible to defeat it on your own. Entire squads have to move in order to fight and beat such a monstrosity.

Cadre 4 Magivores also usually have multiple special moves that they employ.

For example, the Flesh-Blood Tree of Rot in the Royal Academy Incident had incredible regeneration and vitality, alongside its multiple tentacles that could suck all the blood from a target within moments.

It also has the red lights that dye the sky, preventing it from being burned by the rays of sunlight.

Then, there are the multiple spores that it has, which allow it to create hundreds, if not thousands, of Rot Worms with ease.

The thing even had human intelligence, since Professor Alaric was its core.

All of these are coupled with the fact that it is very difficult to kill through ordinary means, since its hide is tough, and it constantly regenerates. If Professor Alaric hadn’t died prematurely, causing the implosion of that Flesh-Blood Tree of Rot, the Academy would have had more casualties, or they would have had to employ more hands on deck.

Then again—

The Academy was under-prepared for such an event.

If they had multiple trained professionals, at least High Rank Knights, with C Grade Armaments, and they all had a strategy against the Cadre 4 Magivore, they could have actually won.

Instead, the Royal Academy used a lot of weak links to create a barricade around the Flesh-Blood Tree, which ended up backfiring since it used the fodder to nourish itself and grow more powerful.

There’s also the fact that they had to cater to students and were more reactive than active.

In a normal situation, with more experienced fighters and far greater preparation, the Royal Academy should have won.

Looking at how we defeated a Cadre 4 Magivore as a team of nine, with the highest Grade of Armaments being C Grade, it should have been possible for the Royal Academy to also do the same under the right conditions.

Granted, we spent days in our subjugation quests, and we had all the information about the creature, allowing us to make enough preparations.

But we still secured a flawless victory.

And with no casualties at all!

"In this mission, we won’t be working alone. We’ll be coordinating efforts with the Count’s forces, as well as other top-notch Mercenaries in the field. We’ll be at least a hundred elite members, and if the Magivore ends up being too much to handle... we can simply run away, since the primary assignment is reconnaissance." I explain to the team rather calmly after also briefing them on the severity of the situation.

In the case of the Magivore being too strong, we can simply report back and get our base fee.

We don’t have to risk our lives in this assignment.

In fact, Count Blake Winchester also doesn’t have to risk the lives of his forces, and he recognizes that fact, which is why his emphasis was on reconnaissance.

Of course, if we manage to slay the Magivore, that’s more profit for us.

It benefits the Count, too.

Nobles manage their territories, and in the case of High Nobles, they supervise not only their core territories but also the regions under their control. They can definitely seek support from the upper echelon or even request direct aid from the Royal Family, but there has to be proof that they did the bare minimum to protect their territory.

Right now, by dispatching us to investigate and possibly subdue the creature, the Count is taking that step. He is showing the Kingdom that he cares for his territory and will do what is in his power to protect it.

If the situation turns bad, he can always say he tried his best, and then ask for support from the higher-ups, who have no choice but to accept.

Magivore attack is a public issue, one that isn’t limited to the private responsibility of one Noble.

It is a collective duty to protect the Kingdom from Magivore attacks.

Hence, the Kingdom actually owes the Count its protection if he cannot handle the threat himself.

But if the Count doesn’t even bother trying to quell the threat on his own, mentions of his incompetence will rise, and it might cause many to believe he is unable to properly manage his territory.

The same way the Aditi Household has its own politics... so do these High Noble Households.

In fact, theirs is even worse.

"Now that I’ve listed the advantages and disadvantages of the mission, we’re going to be taking a vote now. Raise your hands if you wish to accept the mission."

I intentionally exclude myself from the vote, since it could have a direct influence on the results.

This is normal.

As the leader, I hold far too much sway, and some of the members might concede if I choose to involve myself too openly.

As much as I desire to help the Count, the well-being of my team comes first.

Life is uncertain, and I wish for all of their decisions to be made with full assurance that they chose it freely. That way, they bear the responsibility for their decisions, the same way I bear responsibility for mine.

In the end, five chose yes, and three chose no.

Even without my vote serving as the final verdict, it seems the decision has been made—

We’re taking on this assignment!

***********

"We... shouldn’t have come here..."

As my voice trembles, my blurry vision is cast to both of my sides, and I see my teammates extremely injured, with one of us having fainted already.

Currently, Esther is feeding Austin a Potion, and I can only pray he regains consciousness.

However, despite how precarious my team’s situation is, everyone else has it worse.

Most are dead.

The survivors are either fatally wounded or missing a few limbs, making it impossible for them to join the fight any longer.

Shrieks and fearful cries pervade the air, causing paralyzing fear to slowly seep into me.

More and more, the reality is dawning on me.

Out of the hundred that came for this reconnaissance/subjugation mission, barely twenty are even alive—us included.

All things considered, this is even a considerably mild result.

Because...

"Damnit! Cadre 4 Magivore, they said... but what the fuck is this?!" A Mercenary right behind me screams, before his head is immediately chomped and his lifeless body falls limp on the ground.

That’s right.

The enemy in front of us is no Cadre 4 Magivore.

It is Cadre 5!