Chapter 90: Proposal (3)
Sinon Gabor, the ruffian of Buehren city, wanted to drink.
So he drank.
After drinking, his mood improved considerably.
It was even more so with good food.
So he drank more.
That was the problem.
Excessive drinking is harmful to health.
His breathing became ragged, his head spun, and his stomach felt bloated, making his mood sour, and he wanted to pick a fight with anyone.
Just then, a manageable-looking black-haired fellow was passing by, but actually, it didn't matter even if he wasn't manageable.
He was the eldest son of an influential family that no one except the Jeten Guild could touch.
‘Father will take care of it, whatever!’
His respected father, who had always been an invincible shield!
Sinon Gabor, recalling that benevolent face, taunted the opponent by picking an absurd fight as usual, and the young fellow, who looked like he hadn't even shed his baby fat, confidently pulled out something shiny.
“What the fuck is this, you bastard!”
He didn't care.
It looked flashy, so it was probably some noble family's identification plate.
However, here in Buehren, there was no one more well-off than him except for the Jeten Guild.
He just had to brush it off lightly.
Even while drunk, he neatly assessed the situation and threw a punch without hesitation.
The time to show off the unarmed combat skills taught by a retired knight had come…….
Swish!
“Huh? He dodged?”
Sinon Gabor was startled.
He hadn't tried hard.
However, it was unarmed combat he had trained for a long time.
He didn't think it was a punch dull enough for such a half-baked fellow to dodge, but to avoid it by a hair's breadth.
‘Is he somewhat trained?
Or am I drunk?’
He still couldn't quite tell.
Of course, it didn't matter.
If he couldn't tell, he just had to try more!
Taking several quick breaths to sober up a little, he continuously threw punches.
Swish, swish-swish, swiiish!
Woosh, woooosh!
He was running out of breath.
Up to his chin!
Due to being more drunk than usual, his stamina depleted much faster.
Nevertheless, that fellow hadn't taken a single hit, and Sinon Gabor found that appearance extremely annoying yet somewhat delightful.
Who was he?
He was the eldest son of the Gabor family, which wielded power second only to the Jeten Guild.
If the fellow just took a few hits and then scurried off, repeatedly saying ‘I’m sorry!’, he himself wouldn't be able to pick a further fight, but if he kept dodging punches with that annoying expression and a look that seemed to belittle him, the matter was bound to escalate.
Sinon liked that.
He liked it when things got bigger, and he liked seeing that fellow, who dared to make an impertinent expression at him, kneel and tremble in fear!
‘Good. Now, it’s about time to ask who you are. To scold him for daring to act like this without recognizing the Gabor family of Buehren…….’
It was when he was thinking that.
Suddenly, someone stepped between him and the black-haired fellow.
Moderately bulging muscles.
A moderately tall height.
A middle-aged man with a moderately fierce impression, who looked like someone who did mercenary work, no matter who saw him.
He was a fellow who made one think he would be much harder to deal with than the previous novice black-haired guy.
However, that was a delusion.
He was a much greater person than that.
The content of the conversation that followed allowed one to infer this.
“What are you doing here, young man?”
“I got into a fight. And you’re being shameless.”
“What is?”
“You were tailing me, weren’t you, continuously.”
“Hmm…… When did you notice?”
“From the beginning.”
“Indeed. I shall raise my evaluation of you a little more.”
“Thank you.”
“I was being slightly sarcastic…… Talking to you makes my head feel strange.”
“Is this also sarcasm?”
“No. On the name of Austin, the Mercenary King, this is sincere. I’ll say it one more time. Talking to you for a long time makes my head feel strange.”
‘……Mercenary King, he said?’
Could it be, Austin, the Head of the Mercenary Brokerage who wields enormous influence throughout the southern continent?
Sinon Gabor wore an expression of disbelief.
No, it couldn't be.
He muttered quietly to himself.
Perhaps he had seen wrongly because he was drunk; he even rubbed his eyes vigorously.
It was to clear his blurred vision from being drunk.
It was futile.
Realizing that the face he had seen in the newspaper and the face of the middle-aged man in front of him matched exactly, he gasped.
‘It’s real!’
It was true.
The being in front of him now was indeed the real Mercenary King!
Of course, while he was being surprised, the conversation between the two continued.
“Anyway, why were you dealing with such a weak-looking fellow?”
“Ah, about that…… Is this mercenary plate really useful?”
“Why? What’s the problem?”
“No, a drunkard suddenly picked a fight, so I showed him this, but he didn’t even care and threw punches. I was so bewildered I kept dodging, wondering what to do.”
“Huh, well, of course. If a young person like you suddenly shows a gold plate, and a special gold plate at that, would people believe it? Where did you get that fake? They’d probably think something like that.”
“Really? Then isn’t it useless for me to carry this around?”
“No. Can’t you just show a completed Aura Sword? Then they’ll believe it. That you are an amazing individual who received a special gold plate directly from the Mercenary King.”
Woooooong!
“Like this?”
“Yes. Like that.”
“It’s a bit much to show…….”
“Why. Because the color of your Aura is a bit darker? It’s fine, there’s almost no difference. Originally, it’s a bit lighter or darker for different people.”
“However, then doesn’t the mercenary plate become even more unnecessary? If I just show a completed Aura Sword like this, prepared for my dagger’s blade to be slightly damaged, I probably won’t get into fights. Do I really need a mercenary plate too?”
“This friend, he knows one thing but not two.”
‘What, what on earth is going on…….’
Sinon Gabor’s complexion grew paler and paler.
He couldn't help it.
He could somehow accept the Mercenary King suddenly appearing before his eyes.
Since he was a person who roamed all over the continent, it was possible he had encountered him by a miraculous chance.
But what about that fellow?
A young man who looked no older than twenty-five at most, not only drawing out a completed Aura Sword with a dagger…… but also conversing so casually with the Mercenary King?
What on earth was going on?
Of course, just as before, this time too, the two paid no attention to Sinon Gabor and focused only on their conversation.
Mercenary King Austin, wearing a frustrated expression, continued to speak.
“Of course, in most cases, you’re right. Most fights will be resolved just by showing a completed Aura Sword.”
“That’s right.”
“However, what if it can’t be resolved by that? What if there’s someone in front of you who wants to see blood even after knowing you’re a Graduate-level strongman?”
“I have to fight.”
“……What if you don’t want to fight? What if you’re at a disadvantage or have circumstances where you must avoid a fight…… What will you do then?”
“Hmm…… Ah, then I can show this special gold plate?”
“That’s right. First, show a completed Aura Sword to let them know you’re not an easy opponent, and then show the special gold plate, and the opponent will believe it. The fact that you are truly a talented young man cherished by the Mercenary King. Then, what will happen next? Probably most will be reluctant to antagonize you. No one wants to have a bad relationship with this Austin while living in the southern continent. How about it, do you understand a bit now?”
“I understand. At least, that Sir Austin’s confidence is remarkable.”
“Are you being sarcastic now?”
“Huh? No. I was sincere.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
“Is there a problem?”
“No, there isn’t.”
Austin, letting out a sigh, continued to speak.
“In any case, the mercenary plate I gave you is a sufficiently great gift. It’s not something flimsy enough for you to belittle like that.”
“I understand that too.”
“Alright. Then shall we see its effect?”
“What effect?”
“The effect of the mercenary plate.”
“How?”
“We can just use that young man over there to check.”
Austin abruptly pointed to one side.
At this, Sinon Gabor was startled.
It was because his finger was pointing at him.
Of course, the Mercenary King didn't care whether he was startled or not.
He just continued his story.
“If you were an ordinary Graduate, that fellow would have just apologized and left.”
“Isn’t that enough?”
“You could think so, but such concepts are relative, after all. What if that ruffian-like fellow apologized for not recognizing you, begged you to generously forgive his mistake, and then treated you to a delicious dinner and expensive, fragrant alcohol…… Wouldn’t that be better?”
“Alcohol?”
For a moment, Harang’s face lit up.
As he had recently taken a keen interest in alcohol, his expression couldn't help but brighten whenever alcohol was mentioned.
It was like a conditioned reflex.
However, it was different for Sinon Gabor, who was under pressure.
To him, the Mercenary King’s words sounded like, ‘If you don’t treat us to good food and alcohol, the Mercenary King and the Gabor family will have a bad relationship, all because of you!’
And that wasn't far from the truth.
“E-excuse me…….”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry……!”
“Ah, I see.”
“Th-there, there…… As a token of my apology, I’d like to treat you to good food, fine wine, whiskey…… and other hard-to-get liquors, if that would be alright……!”
“……!”
In the end.
Sinon Gabor, the eldest son of an influential family in Buehren, had no choice but to bow his head to Harang.
Not only that, but he also delighted the noses and mouths of the Mercenary King and Harang with numerous liquors, including top-quality wine and whiskey.
Receiving a tremendous scolding from his father, Sanders Gabor, was a bonus.
Of course, Harang couldn't know that far, nor did he particularly want to.
In the carriage returning to the commercial city of Marzen, he recalled what Mercenary King Austin had said.
‘You understand, right?
From now on, rather than briefly introducing yourself as Harang, introduce yourself as Harang, the owner of the special gold plate personally handed to you by the Mercenary King.’
“Certainly, its effect is quite good.”
Harang muttered quietly.
He was right.
The opponents he had met so far had reacted as if asking what kind of bullshit it was whenever they heard his introduction, ‘I am Harang.’
It meant that his name alone was not a sufficient explanation of his existence.
If so, was this ‘special gold plate’ an item that could fully explain him?
“No.”
Harang shook his head.
It wasn't.
It was true that this was a good item that would make his future convenient…… but Harang somehow didn't feel like it.
To introduce himself only like that, and for the opponent to nod their head as a result.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Even while he was thinking such thoughts, the horse ran diligently and soon arrived at its destination.
Harang, who deliberately got off a little away from the city wall, walked slowly, looked at the Marzen sky gradually turning golden, and nodded his head.
That’s right.
He finally realized.
The phrase that best represented him, that could best introduce him.
“Hello. I am Harang, a Gold Plate Mercenary belonging to the Eddy Mercenary Corps, mainly active in Marzen.”
Harang, who muttered to himself, finally wore a refreshed expression.
It wasn't that being a Gold Plate Mercenary wasn't important.
However, it was right to say what was more important than that first.
Harang, who had come to that conclusion, approached Marzen at a slightly faster pace and spent an enjoyable evening with the Eddy Mercenary Corps, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
And, a fortnight after that.
“I’ll be back. As I said, it might take a while.”
His steps headed towards the Dark City Kalbaron.