“These are the ones I once used. I won’t be going north anymore”
The barmaster had a distant look and took a gulp of his own drink.
I didn’t miss the fact that there were two coats.
His distant look had a little bit of grief in it.
He was good-looking like that, even for a man like me. One of the waitress women saw and watched red-faced in fascination.
But her feelings won’t reach him.
Because she had a captivating set of splendid breasts and plump body.
“If little missy here catches frostbite it’d be sad, you see, and of course I’m going to be charging you”
“Yeah, it looks like it’s going to be a hard trip, so thanks”
We drank for a while, and as the night grew late and the other customers left the barmaster said “I’m closing up for tonight. Go back once you’re done drinking”, and went inside.
Seems like Natalie wants a child sometime soon.
I’m sure the actual spot looked like a scene where a pitiful young girl was being raped by a bandit.
“Aegir-sama. We should go back soon, as well”
“Yeah, you’re right”, I said as I stood up from my seat. Just then a voice called from my side.
“Sorry for the late hour”
Two men, they were unarmed but they had a good appearance and no gaps in their movements.
Celia put her hand around her waist and gripped her knife.
“We’re nobody suspicious”
“We just want to talk to you”
“I do think urgent business at night is quite suspicious, though”
“We apologize on that count, but we thought we couldn’t meet with you unless we do so now”
Seems like they knew we will be leaving town tomorrow.
Plus 1.5 times suspiciousness.
“Make it quick, please’
But I’ll be alright with just listening, I guess.
Just let them talk on their own.
I looked and signaled at Celia to make her stand down.
“We’re from the mercenary group [Wings of Daybreak]”
“And we would like to buy your … Aegir-dono’s strength at a high price”
Suspiciousness level went over the limit.
I never remembered naming myself to any mercenary groups.
“Right now, mercenary bands are gathering in Gordonia. They’re reinforcing themselves for exterminating bandits in the surrounding areas and to strengthen themselves against the Olga Federation”
“Our group is also contracted by the Kingdom and is now augmenting our members”
I see, so they mean to say they caught wind of me from Triea and came to enlist me.
However …. they added.
“The army’s enough for bandit subjugation, and relations with the Olga Federation is good”
What’s with that? I totally don’t get what they mean.
“We can’t tell you the name but we sympathize with a certain noble and are moving according to their intentions”
“Using the official stance of gathering personnel, we’re preparing for a certain thing”
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“We decided to skip the official stance with highly valued people like you”
“Of course, we can’t speak regarding the true reason here. We’ll tell you if you decide to come with us”
“You know that we’re leaving the country tomorrow, don’t you?”
They have a reliable information gathering ability.
Which is why it’s even more of a problem.
“Of course we do. It would be best for us if you participated right away, but the Wings of Daybreak is only recently established and we need time to take on a proper form”
“We wanted to tell Aegir-dono how highly we value you”
“So you’re saying I can join you whenever I like after my trip is over?”
If they let me in with such selfish talk then they’re all the more suspicious.
“If you wait until the time passed then it’ll be meaningless. We’re setting up in the capital’s suburb so we’d like you to come join us as soon as you can”
The men stood up as if to say they had nothing more to say.
I took Celia along and went back towards our room.
Right then one of the men said to me.
“You’re an excellent warrior, so this is a good chance for you to rise to higher places!”