Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation After discussing the matter of sending people to the north with Director Levins and Master Swordmaster Kelud, Laurist took his leave. He then walked around the academy district, and found that it was as the old director had said. More than half of the academies had closed, and only a few guards were left. Even the food street in the academy district that used to be bustling with people was now deserted. Most of the shops had the words "for lease" or "for sale" on their closed doors …
Was this a butterfly effect? Laurist stroked his chin as he pondered. The two letters regarding the formula and production process of the glass were like the wings of a butterfly, causing the situation of the entire Galinthea Continent to change so much. It was even more unexpected that the Commerce Alliance had become the largest nation on the continent. However, this largest country was only glorious in appearance, and did not seem to be in a good mood.
To Laurist, this was perhaps the most ideal result. It would give him the chance to take over the Dawn Academy, which was ranked in the top eight in Galinthea. This was not just a nostalgia for his youth. More importantly, if the Dawn Academy were to be established in the north, it would greatly improve the quality of the commoners in his family's territory and even the entire north. Laurist had already placed great emphasis on the basic education in his territory, and had opened basic education schools in every town. If the Dawn Academy were to be moved north, it would fill the gap in comprehensive education in his territory.
The more Laurist thought about it, the more excited he became. He was determined to achieve his goal of moving the Dawn Academy to the north. Whether it was land or funds, the family would fully support it. Although the territory was thriving, it was still at the initial stage of accumulation, and there was a great lack of high-quality talents. Laurist felt helpless when he thought about how anyone who could count and read could be appointed as the statistics officer of the territory.
When Laurist came back to his senses, he realized that he had been walking for half a day with his thoughts running wild. This place seemed familiar. Hmm, I remember now. The Mercenary Union was just two streets away. Back when I was still in the Dawn Academy, I would often take this road to the Mercenary Union to accept missions. I should go take a look and reminisce about that time. This was also a form of nostalgia.
The Mercenary Guild was also very quiet. Lorist looked around, and there was no longer a single old employee that he recognized. A young female clerk with a round face walked over politely and asked Laurist what he needed. This reminded Laurist of those clerks who ignored him when he was handing in his missions back in the day. However, in the past, the mercenary hall was crowded with people. Now, there were only two or three people in the hall. It was easy to understand why these employees were so friendly.
Lollister waved his hand and went to the bar in the lobby. He ordered a glass of ale and sat down to savor it slowly. Back in the day, every time he completed a mission, he would drink a cup of ale with his friends here and listen to the stories of other mercenaries. At that time, every seat in the bar was filled with mercenaries. Even though the ale here was twice as expensive as outside, it was still very popular among the mercenaries who had completed their missions. But now, Lollister was the only one sitting at more than ten tables, slowly drinking his ale.
The young female clerk with a round face kept staring at Lollister. Perhaps it was Lollister's casual and high quality long-sleeved shirt that gave her the wrong impression that Lollister had come to the mercenary union to issue a mission. After all, those who could embroider platinum lace on the collar and sleeves of an unlined shirt couldn't be those boorish mercenaries. The price of this unlined shirt would be enough for them to work their asses off for a month.
Lollister raised his cup and smiled. "Girl, you're making me feel bad staring at me like that. Do you want me to treat you to a drink?"
The young female clerk's round face immediately turned red. She turned her head and pretended not to hear Lollister's teasing.
Things were much better now. Back in the day, if anyone dared to be rude or flirt with the female clerks, the mercenary union's aggressive guards would mercilessly beat them up. At that time, Lollister had seen many fights and bloodshed due to jealousy in the mercenary hall.
A middle-aged mercenary in his forties or fifties walked into the mercenary hall, cursing and swearing. He casually found a window and handed in his mission. Then, he held a few silver coins in his hand and walked out while cursing.
"Hey, big brother Goode, where are you going in such a hurry? Sit down, I'll treat you to a drink." Lollister smiled as he greeted him. He knew this middle-aged mercenary. He was a 2-star Silver who had been heavily injured during an adventure. Although he had recovered, he had damaged his body because of the long period of time. His fighting aura could no longer advance, and he could only hang around in the middle and lower ranks of mercenaries. When Lollister had custom-made backpacks, this big brother Goode had been the first to take care of his business. He was a good person and was very trustworthy. After that, he had partnered with Fatty Shi and Lollister on a few missions and taught Lollister many tips of life as a mercenary.
The middle-aged mercenary stopped and turned to look at Lollister. He was stunned for a moment, not recognizing him. "You are …"
"Hehe, big brother Goode, have you forgotten about me? I'm Lollister, little Loke. "
"Ah, it's you, brother Loke." The middle-aged mercenary was overjoyed. "Long time no see. It's been almost ten years. I really didn't expect to see you here again. Back then, you became a legendary figure in Moronte City. Later, I heard that you went back to inherit your family's territory and title. I thought I would never see you again. I really didn't expect to see you again. "
Lollister stood up and hugged the middle-aged mercenary passionately. Then, he ordered a cup of ale for him.
The middle-aged mercenary picked up the cup and gulped down half of it. He wiped his mouth and said, "It's still a familiar taste. Sigh, it's a pity that I haven't had a good drink here in half a year."
Lollister smiled. "Don't worry, there's plenty more to drink. Boss, two more cups. It's my treat today, big brother Goode. You can drink to your heart's content. "
"Thanks, brother Loke. You're still so generous." The middle-aged mercenary did not stand on ceremony. He picked up the cup and finished it in one gulp. Lollister pushed the new cup of ale in front of him.
"Oh right, brother Loke, why are you here today? Is there something you need help from the mercenaries or are you here to issue a mission?" the middle-aged mercenary asked.
Lollister shook his head. "Nothing much. It's just that I've been back in Moronte City for the past few days and thought about the past. I also remembered that I still have a mercenary badge here, so I purposely came over to have a taste of the ale here. However, I didn't expect this place to become so empty. It's completely different from the crowded hall I remember. The only lucky thing is that I was able to meet big brother Goode. This trip was not in vain. "
"Sigh …" Goode picked up his cup and drank a few mouthfuls. He sighed. "Brother, you and I are both lucky. You were able to see the Mercenary Union this time. At the end of the year, this place will be gone. There will no longer be a Mercenary Union. I'm lucky that I was able to see you today when I came to hand in my mission. You can treat me to a few cups of ale …
Now, mercenaries have no future in the Trade Union. " Goode burped. "Brother, you definitely did not expect that mercenaries will be extinct in the Trade Union in the future. Uh, not extinct, but Moronte City is no longer a place for mercenaries. There are no missions here, and even if there were, they could not afford to do them. On the other hand, the Chicard Merchant Association has set up another Mercenary Union at the entrance of the famous underground cave in the former Ulubaha Principality. They are recruiting mercenaries to explore the underground cave. I heard that the rewards are good, so many freelance mercenaries have moved there. "
"Hmm? The Mercenary Union is gone? What does that mean? Big brother Goode, isn't the Trade Union the Country of Mercenaries? What happened to so many mercenary groups and nearly ten thousand registered mercenaries? "Lollister asked curiously.
"Country of Mercenaries? Haha, what mercenary groups? Everyone has gone their separate ways. All the mercenaries have gone to seek refuge with the nobles. Do you know, Brother Locke, the bosses of the top ten mercenary groups here have all become nobles? The youngest one is a viscount, and the rest are earls. Boss Lesimba of the Dragon Claw mercenary group, which is ranked fourth, got himself a grand duke. He's pretty much stepping on dog sh * t. Now, there are no mercenary groups left. They've all been disbanded. The bosses have become nobles, and the brothers under them have all become knights. Even the weakest ones have become guards … Do you know?
Do you know, this time, the Commerce Alliance has given out four hundred and fifty-one titles in one go? Those who are capable have been given fiefs, while the rest have been recruited as knights by the nobles. There are no mercenaries now, only a hundred or so of us who are still idling around here. We don't want to serve others humbly, we just want to rely on our own hard work to support our families. But now, look at me, after running around for half a month, I only earned one big silver coin and three small silver coins. With the current market price, how am I going to support my family with this bit of money... "Goode was full of resentment.
"It can't be. So many nobles have been conferred?" Leurist was dumbfounded. "But since no one is working as a mercenary, doesn't that mean no one is fighting for missions anymore? That should be a good thing, right?"
"Not a good thing!" Goode spat. "In the past, all the countries and trade unions in the Trade Union would come here to issue missions. There are many mercenaries, but there are also many missions. Everyone has something to eat. Now, all the countries have cut off their trade routes. Even mercenaries like us are denied passage, so we have no choice but to secretly cross the border. Being caught and whipped is still a small matter. The worst thing is that if you go to investigate the military, you'll be hanged without any explanation …
This isn't a big deal. At most, we won't accept missions from other countries. But the problem is that the Trade Union's territory has expanded, but there aren't that many missions. Other than the Mana Hill Plains, the rest are all owned by people. If something happens to them, they'll use their own people to solve it. They don't issue missions here anymore. What's worse is that we mercenaries have to pay a toll when we pass through their territory. If we don't pay, we won't let you pass … "
Goode raised his glass and gulped down another glass of wine. Then, he wiped his mouth and pointed at the Mercenary Union. "Brother, do you remember the boss of the Mercenary Union, that bastard Schlock? That stingy bastard also got himself a Viscount this time. His territory is where the Duchy of Delia used to be.
The mission I accepted this time happened to pass through this bastard's territory. Just like before, I hunted a rabbit in the wild and roasted it. Then, that bastard ordered his guards to arrest me. He said that the firewood I used to eat the rabbit and the place I slept in were all on his territory. He demanded me to pay for these expenses and extorted two large silver coins from me. If I hadn't said that I accepted the mission from his Mercenary Union, that bastard would have wanted to parade me through the streets … "
Alright, some merchants were even more shameless than nobles. No matter how harsh the nobles were to their subjects, they still had to worry about their reputation. Meanwhile, merchants could see nothing but gold coins in their eyes. This was especially true when those merchants turned their business acumen onto their subjects. Lollister suspected that the subjects would only be left with a few pieces of clothing to cover their bodies. However, there was nothing he could do. At most, he could mourn for these subjects for three seconds …
"Then what do you plan to do in the future?" Lollister asked. He knew that Goode had a family long ago. He had parents, two sons, and a daughter. When Lollister had left Morent City, Goode's children had only been four or five years old. His youngest daughter had just been born, and now, his oldest child was only fourteen or fifteen. This was the most difficult time for him.
Goode opened his bewildered eyes and said in pain, "I don't know. The path of being a mercenary won't work. Perhaps I'll become a guard for a merchant guild. As long as the salary is enough for me to support my family …"
Lollister stood up, took out a gold yuan certificate, and stuffed it into Goode's pouch. He was already on his seventh cup of ale, and he was half drunk and half sober.
"I've left some gifts for your children. I'll put them in your pouch. Brother Goode, you can look at them when you get back. If you can't stay in Morent City any longer, come find me in the north. All you have to do is go to the Peterson Merchant Guild and say that you're my friend, and they'll send your entire family to my territory. "
Lollister then called a carriage and helped Goode up. He still remembered where Goode's family lived. After telling the driver the address and paying the fare, Goode's family would naturally take care of him when they arrived.
After returning to the Mercenary Union, Lollister said to the round-faced young female clerk, "Call the person in charge here. I want to buy that blood-burning fighting aura manual."
This could also be considered a souvenir for the ten years he had spent in Morent City and his career as a mercenary. Back then, Lollister had mistakenly believed that his family's fighting aura was of the fire attribute. When he lost contact with his family and was unable to obtain any more fighting aura manuals, he had spent a large sum of money to buy several high-rank fighting aura manuals of the fire attribute on the market. In the end, he discovered that they were completely different from the ones passed down in his family. He bought other high-rank fighting aura manuals of other attributes, but he still could not cultivate them. In the end, he had no choice but to cultivate the Metal Water Method that had been passed down in his family, earning him the legendary title of Black Iron Locke and the invincible silver rank.
This blood-burning fighting aura manual was the treasure of the Mercenary Union. It was priced at fifteen thousand gold fords, and it had been an astronomical price in Morent City back then. It wasn't that Lollister hadn't thought about buying this blood-attribute fighting aura manual, but he had felt that the price was too high, and he hadn't expected that his family's fighting aura would also be of the blood attribute. Now that he thought about it, if he had gritted his teeth and bought this blood-burning fighting aura manual back then, he might have advanced to the silver rank, and he wouldn't have needed to cultivate the Metal Water Method that had been passed down in his previous life.
Perhaps Lollister would have walked a different path from then on, and would no longer be able to kill enemies of a higher rank. He would have had to obediently follow the path of the silver and gold ranks. Perhaps he still wouldn't have been able to become a Great Swordsman, and the Norton Family might have also vanished into thin air, instead of rising like the sun and prospering like it was now …
Now, Lollister wanted to buy this blood-burning fighting aura manual out of nostalgia. He had a gold yuan certificate worth thirty thousand gold fords on him, and he didn't mind the high price at all. He very straightforwardly paid the bill. The person in charge of the Mercenary Union also wanted to recommend a few other high-rank fighting aura manuals, but Lollister rejected them. Right now, his family had collected nearly a hundred high-rank fighting aura manuals of various attributes, which was enough to reward the family's knights. Especially after destroying the Haneabada Kingdom, they had seized forty to fifty high-rank fighting aura manuals, so there was no need to buy duplicates. However, this blood-burning fighting aura manual was different. This was the second blood-type fighting aura manual in addition to the blood-red fighting aura that had been passed down in his family. It could be used as a reference for his children's cultivation in the future.
After leaving the Mercenary Union, Lollister called for a carriage to go to the Phoenix Tail District in the eastern part of the city. Looking at the dark red three-room, four-story building with a pointed roof, Lollister once again thought of the girl who had danced barefoot under the moonlight. It was she who had given him a taste of the wonders of first love, and it was she who had turned him from a boy into a man in this life. It was also she who had made him feel despair and heart-wrenching pain. When he had watched her leave with another man, his heart had been torn to pieces …
Looking at this old building filled with tenants, Lollister was surprised to find that his heart was as calm as still water. There was no longer the painful throbbing and sorrow from back then, only a faint longing lingering in his heart. Was the girl who had once been the most important person in his life doing well? How was she doing?
Time had passed, and things had remained the same, but people had changed. This was the most beautiful memory in Lollister's heart, and even the pain was worth recalling. That elf-like girl and her two mischievous and lively maids were no longer here. Lollister took one last deep look at the dark red three-room, four-story building with a pointed roof, let out a long sigh, and turned to walk out of the alley.
The fruit store at the mouth of the alley was gone, replaced by a general store. However, the boss was still that garrulous uncle Gilo. After not seeing him for ten years, uncle Gilo's hair had turned completely white. It was obvious that his days had not been very good.
Uncle Gilo recognized Lollister and was very pleasantly surprised. He talked nonstop about the changes in the neighborhood, like how Lollister had often bought fruit candies for the little girl called Roni. Her grandmother had passed away when she was ten, and she had left with her father. He had heard that her father had been doing well, and had now become a knight of some grand duke's family …
Lollister listened to uncle Gilo talk for nearly an hour before finally leaving behind a gold yuan certificate and leaving.
"Driver, go to the Red Crow Tavern," Lollister ordered.
… …
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