“Your name?”
“Jaymer.”
“You look young. How long have you been doing this?”
“8 years.”
“Huh, you look younger than that. When did you start working as a mercenary?”
“Since I was sixteen. But it’s not a mercenary’s experience I’m talking about. I’m a hunter.”
“Bounty hunting?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ve been doing that for 8 years and are still alive? Impressive!”
Short exchanges filled the rocking carriage. Who started it was unclear, but during the mundane ride to the border, the eight men began sharing their names and experiences. Naturally, mercenaries began to exaggerate their impressive feats.
Jaymer didn’t want to mix with them, so he pretended not to hear. But he didn’t want his silence to draw even more attention, so he answered reluctantly.
“Twenty-four, huh… good age.”
One of the mercenaries, whose name Jaymer couldn’t recall, picked up on his statement.
“Considering hunters often retire earlier than mercenaries, starting at sixteen might be just right. When I was your age, I’d killed just under a hundred people. Had I started young like you, my record would be even more impressive. So, Jaymer, how many have you taken down?”
Jaymer showed as little interest as possible, “Never counted. Not that many.”
“But why don’t you carry a bow? For hunting, a blade is…”
“I don’t know how to use a bow.”
His disinterested demeanor not working, Jaymer simply leaned against the wall of the swaying carriage and closed his eyes. Thankfully, he was pushed out of the conversation and the mercenaries continued amongst themselves.
“I’ve been a mercenary in Carnelock for 15 years. Ten years ago, I clashed with the knights of Excelon. I was just a young lad of twenty, so I only managed to take down two of their black knights.”
He puffed himself up, recounting how he had downed two Excelon Knights. Had he stopped there, they might have held him in higher esteem, but he had to add, “Well, if I were to face them now, it’d be a different story.”
Jaymer almost burst into laughter but managed to disguise it with a short cough.
“Faced off with Excelon? Not bad. What’s your name?”
From the back of the carriage, a man holding a War Hammer asked. Occasionally, he would thump its spiked end on the floor, creating a sense of tension.
“Beyren.”
At his revelation, the carriage buzzed with murmurs. The War Hammer bearing man just nodded, “Beyren… I’ve heard you’re one of the most famous mercenaries in Carnelock. Did you board this carriage to capture ‘Hell’s Axe’?”
The War Hammer bearer inquired.
After eying the man for a moment, Beyren responded, “For someone casually mentioning ‘Hell’s Axe’ and wielding such a heavy War Hammer, the only young mercenary from Carnelock I know is Henger.”
Another wave of murmurs filled the space.
“While I don’t make a show of it, my name seems to have gotten around. I’m that youngster, Henger.”
Henger concluded with a brush of his messy blonde hair. Beyren chuckled.
“It seems jobs are scarce these days. Both of Carnelock’s top mercenaries chasing a mere fugitive! Thanks to this, I got to meet the famous Henger.”
With the two mercenaries laughing on either side of the carriage, the rest simply bowed their heads.
‘Henger and Beyren? They must be well-known mercenaries.’
Jaymer didn’t recognize the names but gathered their renown from the reactions.
‘Maybe I should give up on this hunt.’
Jaymer avoided competing with well-known figures, especially prideful ones. When inexperienced, he didn’t discriminate, but now he knew it was better to back off in their presence. It wasn’t a matter of skill. Problems arose when he bested such rivals.
‘But this Hell’s Axe guy, he must be something special.’
Jay was well-versed with the profiles of most wanted criminals, yet he seldom took the initiative to approach them. This made him prone to blunders and run-ins with danger. Even though he was aware of the risks, his temperament rarely allowed for proper prior preparation. However, this recent hunt was different; he’d delved into it after gathering ample information.
Recently, a notorious criminal nicknamed the ‘Hell’s Axe’ had managed to escape from the underground prison with outside help. This malefactor had raped over twenty women and committed countless murders; the exact number of his victims was unknown.
In the course of his escape, Hell’s Axe killed six individuals, including guards and jailkeepers. He even managed to kill two knights from the pursuing Dragon Knights. In a bid to restore his reputation, the warden of the prison hired seven renowned bounty hunters to capture the fugitive. Yet, each of them either vanished without a trace or were found dead.
The prison warden, with added funds from the Dragon Knights and regional lords, managed to quintuple the bounty on the escapee within a month. Anyone who could deliver him, dead or alive, stood to earn five hundred gold coins. Such a bounty was massive, enough for one to consider immediate retirement from the life of a mercenary. Unsurprisingly, this led to numerous mercenaries temporarily switching careers to become bounty hunters.
Among them were those who sought not money, but fame. Given the repute of having killed two Dragon Knights, it was evident that anyone who managed to take down Hell’s Axe would instantly gain enormous recognition.
Most mercenaries in this carriage hoped for such a stroke of luck. However, the presence of two famous mercenaries in the same carriage left the other five visibly uneasy.
Suddenly, the carriage halted. Jay peeked outside with one eye. They hadn’t arrived at a village, and no signs of human activity were visible nearby. They were still amidst an expansive wilderness. Someone inquisitively asked the coachman, “Why have we stopped? We don’t need breaks.”
The coachman, his hat pulled low over his eyes, yawned extensively without responding. He then rummaged through his leather bag beside him and retrieved a tobacco pipe. This was the same coachman who had been constantly smoking during their previous journey from the last town. A few hours had elapsed since then, making it a perfect time for another smoke.
He leisurely packed his pipe with dried tobacco leaves and lit it. Observing him, Jay was reminded of his own tobacco cravings and did the same, which earned him annoyed glances from the other mercenaries, but he paid them no mind.
The coachman, through puffs of white smoke, finally spoke, “I halted the carriage because I wanted a break. Your destination might be close, but I’ve got a long journey ahead.”
“How close is ‘close’? We’re in a hurry!”
One of the mercenaries yelled out. Given the race against time and competition to capture Hell’s Axe, every wasted moment felt significant. But the coachman, unperturbed, chuckled, “Is any task so pressing that you can’t spare the time for a single smoke?”
‘He’s got a point.’
Jay silently concurred.
The first mercenary to speak took a swing at the back of the coachman’s head, “Hey, punk, you driving this carriage or not? If not, I can take over!”
None of the other mercenaries intervened. If this man seized control of the carriage, it would be to their benefit. Some secretly hoped he would do just that.
Despite the blow, which skewed his hat, the coachman remained unmoved, calmly puffing on his tobacco. Jay, observing the coachman’s hunched back, thought,
‘He’s no ordinary coachman. How did I not notice earlier?’
With a smirk, the coachman queried, “Aren’t you all headed to find Hell’s Axe?”
“Yes!” The mercenary responded triumphantly.
The coachman softly replied, “Then, there’s no rush. Because this is precisely where your journey ends.”
The horse handler removed his hat and set it aside, turning to face his onlookers. For someone whose primary job was to handle horses, he was exceptionally well-built. His hand, which held a tobacco pipe, was covered in scars, and his forearm was so thick that an average man would struggle to encircle it with both hands. Most notably, there was an axe propped up next to the seat where he mounted the horses.
It probably had been concealed under his seat, ready to be discreetly retrieved in a moment of peril. To the mercenaries, it seemed as though the axe had appeared out of nowhere. The mercenary who had struck the back of the horse handler’s head hastily retreated, tripping over the leg of another seated mercenary and falling backward.
“My God! Why would you-?”
He exclaimed in a voice filled with fear. Mercenaries who hadn’t caught on to what was happening looked back and forth in confusion between their fallen comrade and the horse handler.
The handler, unbothered by the sudden turmoil, stood with one hand on his hip and the other lightly holding his pipe, gazing down at the fallen mercenary.
Jay didn’t stand up. He decided to observe the unfolding situation.
“Take your time. I’ll be alive while I smoke this one. You can even run in the meantime.”
The handler grinned, revealing a missing front tooth.
The mercenaries, understanding the situation from the brief exchange, drew their weapons in unison. In the cramped space of the carriage, everyone’s weapon was dangerously close to someone else’s face. The horse handler, still wearing a smile, held his pipe in his mouth, keenly observing the mercenaries’ every move.
Beyren shouted loudly, “Everyone, calm down and sheathe your weapons!”
The mercenaries reluctantly lowered their weapons. In a raised voice, Beyren ordered, “One at a time, get off the cart. Do it quietly.”
Beyren naturally assumed the role of the leader. All being seasoned warriors, the moment someone took charge, their earlier confusion was quickly replaced by discipline. They surrounded the horse handler, weapons drawn.
‘There’s no room for me to intervene. Surely, seven mercenaries can handle one guy like this.’
Jay didn’t disembark from the carriage but merely observed.
Despite being surrounded, the horse handler seemed utterly at ease. The two horses pulling the cart, on the other hand, seemed quite disturbed.
“Hey, are you really the Hell’s Axe?”
Beyren asked in a voice filled with force.
“Just a nickname my brother gave me. Not that impressive, huh?”
Hell’s Axe scratched his head and looked back.
“You said you’re Beyren, right? I’m Trego, the younger brother of Tego. Call me by my name, not by that nickname.”
“Alright, Trego. Why did you get us on this cart? Why plunge into danger?”
Trego burst out laughing, then coughed severely due to the tobacco smoke. His coughing was so intense that it seemed he might choke to death on it.
‘If he’s not careful, that tobacco pipe might earn someone a hefty bounty,’ Jay thought, chuckling to himself.
“Danger is relative.”
Having finally caught his breath, Trego continued, “Being surrounded by ten guards without a weapon or facing a dual assault from Dragon Knights – that’s what I call danger. Oh, I thought I was done for back then.”
Trego looked at Beyren’s flustered face and laughed, narrowing his eyes.
Beyren drew his sword, prompting Trego to put down his pipe and pick up his axe. Five mercenaries circled the cart. Inside, only Beyren, Henger, and Jay—who was leaning back—remained seated.
Jay continued to keenly observe the situation, still holding his tobacco pipe.
‘Should I intervene? That guy seems too confident, even against multiple opponents… No, I might end up implicated.’
Following suit, Beyren stepped out. Now, only Jay and Henger remained inside the carriage. When Henger grabbed his War Hammer, Jay discreetly moved to the far end of the cart, out of its reach.
“Figures. By now, the border must be swarming with bounty hunters and more mercenaries.”
Beyren nodded in agreement, his voice filled with realization.
“No, because of killing two Dragon Knights, the rest of the knights probably held their ground. No matter how confident one is in their skills, it wouldn’t have been possible to break through them. However, a coachman carrying bounty hunters like us would be able to pass without suspicion. That’s why you took us with you, right, Trego?”
Trego simply showed a thumbs up.
“Ah, such a brilliant plan. Thanks.”
“Why reveal your true identity now after deceiving us all this time?”
Henger prepared to swing his War Hammer and asked.
Trego merely stroked his unkempt beard.
“Didn’t you hear what I just said? I never even considered such a plan. You’re so frustrating.”
Trego spoke with a tone that suggested he didn’t want to explain any further.
“I already crossed over to Aranthia a week ago. I could have gone to Camort. It seemed simple enough? What a joke!”
“What? So, you came back?”
Beyren asked in shock.
“It might sound funny, but after killing those two Dragon Knights, everything became too easy. I believed that the journey after narrowly surviving would be challenging. Thought I’d need to break through intense battles and use every strategy to barely cross the border, but it wasn’t the case. Unbelievable, right? I just walked the path and crossed the border!”
‘It’s entirely possible. Borders are vast.’
Jey carefully considered Trego’s story.
“I tried to calculate how many I killed during my escape. Twenty-nine.”
Trego held up his index finger, waving it playfully as he spoke.
“I had sent a letter to my brother, saying I’d kill a hundred while escaping. Didn’t I fail to keep that promise? So, I’m trying to make up for the numbers! This is the third time I’ve used this coach to hunt in the same way. On my third try, I caught big fishes: Beyren of the Great Sword and Henger with his War Hammer.”
Jey had seen countless mercenaries talk about killing like it’s a game, but none had the sincere joy in their eyes like this man. His smile was terrifyingly cruel, filled with overconfidence.
‘He knew who Beyren and Henger were and still engaged them. The mercenaries are doomed.’
Jey, unable to stick to his prior resolve, interjected.
“Henger.”
Henger, already on edge, jumped at Jey’s voice from behind.
Jey carefully removed his pipe and whispered, “Step back. You’re going to die to him.”
“What? Are you with him?”
“If I were, you’d be dead already. That means you… Oh, you’d have died. No, you would be dead.”
“What are you talking about?”
Jey wanted to say, ‘If I was with Hell’s Axe, you’d have died to me a long time ago. I’ve been right behind you, unarmed, for quite a while.’
However, he couldn’t phrase it right. He tried to convince him again.
“What I’m saying is, I don’t want you to die. So, if you face Hell’s Axe…”
Jey realized he might have confused the order again. In the meantime, Henger exploded in anger.
“What the hell are you blabbing about? What do you take me for?”
Jey attempted to persuade him in a cautious manner.
“I’ll give you half the bounty. Leave him to me.”
“Shut up! Once I’m done with him, you’re next. Stay put.”
With fiery eyes, Henger lunged at Trego with his hammer.
‘He’s just blinded by rage.’
Jey was not adept at explaining things to others, let alone persuading them.
‘Let it be.’
He gave up and put his pipe back into his mouth.
Trego, seeing Jey, laughed and said, “You’re an amusing fellow. Let’s talk after I deal with them. Just stay right there.”
Beyren and Henger seemed like nothing to him, which further provoked Henger. He growled and took a step towards Trego.
“You should’ve kept running after crossing the border. Your games end today.”
Trego tapped the handle of his axe, grinning widely. Henger, not very tall, used the low ceiling of the carriage to leverage and thrust a War Hammer towards Trego’s face. Swiftly, Trego dodged by tilting his head, somersaulted in mid-air, and leaped off the carriage. Holding his massive axe in his hand, he addressed the mercenaries surrounding the carriage.
“If you’re smart, don’t run. Chasing you is a bother.”
At Trego’s threatening words, none of the mercenaries dared make the first move. Without warning, Trego lunged at one of them, striking his head with the axe. The thick blade shattered the skull, blood spattering behind.
The mercenaries finally retaliated, but lacking coordination among themselves, they failed to effectively surround him. If anything, they obstructed each other’s movements.
Skillfully, Trego dodged all attacks, swinging his axe with precision. Its blade glinted in the sunlight multiple times, and soon, the heads of two more fell to the ground.
As the last remaining mercenary, driven by fear, began to flee, Trego picked up a fallen knife and threw it. The blade lodged into the fleeing man’s back, making him collapse.
“I told you not to run.”
Trego spoke with an irritated tone. Now, only one mercenary stood before him. Before Henger could step down from the carriage and join Beyren, all this had transpired. Apart from the two, the remaining mercenary, neither willing to fight nor flee, stood with his sword pointed out.
‘He was the first to ask for my name. Funny, I never asked for his.’
While the nameless mercenary was backing away, Beyren stepped forward.
“I’ll take him.”
“No, I will.”
Henger spoke in a low, determined voice.
“How about both of you?”
Trego suggested, chuckling.
“Enough.”
With a roar, Beyren swung his large sword above his head, taking his stance. Trego laughed off, shrugging.
“Why is it that every time I offer a fair fight, I get the same reaction? Instead of complaining, how about you bring that guy smoking over there and we all have a go?”
Ignoring him, Beyren swung his massive sword at Trego’s head. However, Trego, with a few deft moves, managed to evade the sharp assault. Henger joined in, swinging his War Hammer from Beyren’s right.
Casting aside their pride, the two teamed up to exploit Trego’s weakness. Their fight had evolved beyond a mere hunt. The two seemed to be desperately challenging one skilled individual. Meanwhile, the hesitant mercenary, seizing the chance when Trego was preoccupied, climbed onto the carriage, grabbing the reins.
“Let go of my carriage!”
Trego, with a swift motion, drew a dagger from his waist and threw it, striking the mercenary’s head. The blade lodged mercenary fell to the ground, still clutching the reins. By then, Beyren and Henger had retreated.
Swallowing hard, Beyren glanced at Henger. Trego, not matching his large frame, let out a light laugh.
“Maybe it would’ve been better for you both if I’d finished this quickly. Why is it that every time I try to be considerate, it’s taken the wrong way? I was waiting for you both to show your full strength, but I bet you both think I went easy on you, right?”
Trego continued to taunt them.
Biting his lip, Henger whispered into Beyren’s ear. The words were faint, but they reached Jay’s ears.
“I’ll be your shield; you strike him down.”
After a moment of hesitation, Beyren accepted Henger’s proposal.
“Your death will become a legend among mercenaries.”
With the axe tucked under his arm, Trego clapped.
“Ah, so you have a plan. I thought you’d both choose to run in different directions.”
“Enough of your games. Today, you die here.”
Charging forward, Henger swung his War Hammer. Trego countered with his axe. Every time their heavy metals clashed, a resounding clang echoed, startling the horses, and right behind Henger was Beyren, ready to seize the opportunity.
Heaving a large war hammer, Henger forced Trego to dodge to the side and tried to grapple him. In response, Beyren lunged, stabbing at Henger’s back.
However, Trego’s axe moved faster than Beyren’s sword. Before Henger could lay a hand on him, his throat was sliced clean. Beyren’s sword had mistakenly struck only his ally’s back.
Panicking, Beyren tried to retrieve the blade stuck in Henger’s back, but before he could, Trego swiftly hacked off his arms. With both arms gone, Beyren fell backward.
“No need for guilt. I killed him first. You merely stabbed a corpse.”
Trego chuckled, tapping the handle of his axe with his palm.
Groaning, Beyren tried to scoot away on his buttocks but fell over again. His armless shoulders couldn’t support his body anymore. He screamed in horror, scraping the ground with his elbows.
Humming a little tune, Trego followed. And as Beyren looked back in sheer terror, Trego raised his axe high.
“Enough of this!”
Suddenly, Jay stood between them, halting Trego’s descent.
Jay coolly eyed Trego with a pipe pressed to his lips. Beyren, looking up at Jay, gasped for air before fainting.
“Am I late?”
Jay made a reckless move, turning his back on Trego’s raised axe to check on Beyren. Trego, surprisingly, didn’t strike.
“Why join now after standing by the whole time?”
Trego said, still chuckling.
“Something similar happened twice before.”
Jay set down his pipe to examine Beyren’s condition.
“I stepped in then. Of course, the bounty became mine. That caused someone to try to kill me.”
“Who?”
“The one I saved. He turned on me. I’m afraid it’ll happen again.”
Laughing heartily, Trego responded, “What’s with you? You’re crueler than I am.”
“Me? More than you?”
“Yeah. I’m out to kill intentionally, but you stood by knowing they’d die. And even now, the one you’re trying to save will probably die soon, right?”
Sadly, Beyren had already stopped breathing. Jay, tasting the bitterness of the tobacco, stood up.
“So, I’m saying you’re more brutal than me.”
“Maybe I am,” Jay responded nonchalantly, placing a hand on his hip.
Trego inquired, “Not drawing your sword?”
“You’re not trying to kill me, right? Why are you asking?”
“I’m giving you a chance to fight. I did mention it.”
“Did you? Can’t recall.”
“Because of you, now I’m confused. I did!”
“Okay, if you say so.”
“What’s with this guy? You’re already in the range of my swinging axe. If I want, I can deal three blows before you can even take a breath.”
Staring at Trego, Jay replied, “Not really. You can only take ‘five steps’.”
“What?”
“I thought you’d manage four, to be honest.”
“Damn it! What’s with all this talk?”
Trego was visibly irritated.
‘I shouldn’t have said that. I’m not confident in explaining.’
Jay remained silent.
Trego declared, “Well, I’m busy. Let’s end this.”
“Why? Off to do the same thing with another carriage?”
“I’m set on hitting a hundred. I need to hurry to Aranthia.”
“Why Aranthia? Because your brother is waiting… was it?”
“Do you know of the Wolf Knights?”
“Just that they exist.”
“My brother, Tego, is waiting for me there. He sent someone to break me out. We’re planning to join the Wolf Knights together. Huh? Why am I saying all this?”
Drops of blood dripped from Trego’s axe.
“If you don’t want to, don’t,” Jay remarked.
“No, I think I wanted to share this with someone. I’ve been too bored. You’re about to die anyway, so it’s okay.”
“Then go on.”
“The Wolf Knights don’t care about one’s past or affiliation with another knight order. I’m considering joining them. I’ll become a Wolf Knight, and soon after, a White Wolf.”
“Do you really think they’d accept a criminal like you?”
Jay replied.
Trego rubbed his throat, “You little… I was thinking of sparing you because I liked you, but it seems I can’t.”
“I wasn’t planning on sparing you either.”
“Is that so?”
Without hesitation, Trego swung his axe.
Jay drew his sword and pierced Trego’s abdomen.
Trego dropped his axe and fell to his knees.
Jay withdrew his sword from Trego’s abdomen, and blood gushed from the wound. Trego fell face first to the ground.
“Wha… what just…?”
Jay sheathed his sword and picked up the pipe he’d laid on the ground, placing it back in his mouth.
“You were five steps from me, but I was only one from you. That’s why your axe didn’t reach, and I could stab you.”
Trego, clutching his belly and speaking in a voice filled with rage, said, “You… never made any damn sense…”
Jay dragged Trego by the scruff of his neck and threw him into the carriage. Once again, blood poured, and Trego screamed in agony.
“Kill me. If you don’t… you’ll face… a terrible vengeance…”
Jay drove the carriage without replying.
“Kill me! Kill me!”
Trego screamed all the way in the carriage.
“Please… kill… me.”
He pleaded later on, but Jay drove in silence. It took half a day to reach the border by carriage. By then, Trego was still alive, still in pain, and groaning endlessly.
Upon reaching a village with a border patrol, Jay stopped the carriage. Trego was no longer breathing. Of course, Jay knew this would happen.
☆ ☆ ☆
“You said you’d pay even for a corpse, when can I expect payment? I’d like it within three days.”
Jay asked in a flat tone.
A soldier from the guard looked down at the waterlogged-looking body for a while, then shrugged. Mercenaries and hunters who’d been waiting for days to kill the Hell’s Axe had gathered around the carriage. Most shouted that the corpse was a fake, but a few who’d seen the Hell’s Axe mumbled it might be real.
Jay waited expressionlessly for the guard’s reply.
“Come inside the office first.”
The captain ordered the soldiers to take the body inside and guided Jay to a hut used as an office.
“Three hundred of the five hundred bounty was posted by the Dragon Knights. They’ve been contacted and are on their way. Instead of three days, you should have it in three hours.”
“I’ll wait here then.”
Jay sat on a stiff chair. The guards whispered among themselves, staring hard at the Hell’s Axe’s wanted poster.
‘That wanted poster is terribly drawn. They think it’s fake. It’s problematic without proof. Should I have brought him in alive?’
Three knights with red dragon emblems on their chests appeared in less than two hours. After verifying the body, they immediately handed Jay three hundred gold coins without a second thought. Jay sighed in relief.
“How did you kill this fierce man?”
One of the knights asked.
“With a sword.”
Jay stuffed the coin purse into his backpack and replied. The knight chuckled wryly.
“You must have excellent swordsmanship. For administrative purposes, tell me your name and lineage.”
“I’m a hunter, so I have no lineage. My name is Jaymer. When can I get the remaining two hundred?”
Jay asked quickly. Experience told him it was best to leave soon after collecting a bounty.
“That isn’t our bounty. It’s posted by the Elder Council and the warden of the prison from which the Hell’s Axe escaped. Either go directly or wait here, and you can get it within a fortnight.”
“I don’t need it. You keep it.”
Jay swiftly slung his backpack over his shoulder.
“You seem in a hurry. It’s rare to see a hunter give up that much money.”
The knight remarked, a hint of regret on his face.
“I’m not a hunter just for the money.”
Jay had said as much, but he didn’t expect his counterpart to believe him. It was as if a mercenary was vowing to pledge his life in loyalty—his words simply didn’t match his actions.
“So, why are you bounty hunting?”
“Why do you ask?”
The other knights beside him immediately shot him threatening looks, but the knight who had posed the question waved them off with a gentle smile, replying,
“If it bothers you, you don’t have to answer.”
It was difficult for him to remain silent when his counterpart went to such lengths to ask.
“At first, it was for the money. I also enjoyed using the sword.”
He never thought he’d share this with anyone, but once he started, the words kept coming.
“Now, I don’t know why I do it.”
“You, the skilled man who killed Trego ‘Hell’s Axe’, don’t know why you’re a hunter?”
The knight asked with interest.
“Would you consider joining the Dragon Knights?”
Everyone, from the guards to the knights in the group, were taken aback. However, Jay responded without a hint of surprise.
“I’ve heard the Dragon Knights only accept those from noble families. I’m not one of them.”
One of the knights listening from behind interjected impatiently.
“Hey, watch your words! Do you even know who you’re talking to? Show some respect.”
“I’m not from a noble family, and I don’t know any etiquette. So, may I leave?”
With that, Jay swiftly turned and left the cabin. From behind, the voice of the knight who had offered him a position was heard, not scolding Jay, but the knight who had asked him to show respect.
“All of you stay put!”
The knight rushed to Jay, grabbing his shoulder.
“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Brander. It seems the name Jaymer is not one of a lowly family. Might I know your father’s name?”
“I don’t have someone like a father.”
Jay responded firmly.
“I apologize. Let’s move on. The Dragon Knights have changed a lot now. The old method of investigating up to three generations of a family lineage is no longer applied. If you have the skills, you can be a knight.”
“Did the knighthood system of Aranthia cause the change?”
“It did play a part. But even before that, Captain Deradul advocated for it. Only after losing to Excelon and conceding the title of the continent’s best to the Wolf Knights did the Council of Elders change their thinking. You will be the catalyst. I’ve always been searching for such talent.”
“Then keep looking. Don’t make rash offers to people you just met.”
“I don’t make offers to just anyone. I just had a good feeling about you.”
Brander said with a smile.
“Think about it. A hunter becoming a Dragon Knight? It will quickly send a message to everyone that we’ve changed.”
“It does sound impressive. But I’ll decline.”
“Why so resolute?”
Brander asked, his expression showing confusion.
“Don’t get me wrong. I don’t dismiss the Dragon Knights, nor am I declining for any special reason. In fact, I feel flattered that you think highly of me.”
Jay scratched the back of his head.
“If you had made this offer yesterday, maybe. But my thoughts have changed today. There’s a place I want to go. A country other than Carnelock.”
Brander asked, “Which country? If it’s Camort, you might as well quit.”
“I wasn’t thinking of Camort, but why not? I heard they were at war, and there’d be plenty for someone like me to do.”
“That war ended not long ago. What’s left would probably be clearing out bands of bandits.”
“I see. But it’s not Camort. I’m going to Aranthia.”
“Aranthia? You’re declining the Dragon Knights to go to…?”
Brander trailed off with a wry smile.
Jay nodded slowly, then added,
“I am going to see the Wolf Knights. But it’s not for a knighthood. I want to verify the rumors. And there’s someone, Trego’s brother, rumored to be in Aranthia. It’d be good to meet him on the way.”
Brander didn’t look entirely convinced. Jay asked cautiously,
“Can I go now?”
Brander, perhaps reluctant to let Jay go without trying one last time, offered a final warning.
“Carrying that much gold with you won’t be easy. With three hundred gold coins, you’re likely to have at least five wagons full of folks risking their lives charging at you. If you want, we can escort you to the next village.”
“How dare I receive an escort? I decline.”
Jay turned and walked away.
Instead of bidding farewell, Brander, who had only been watching Jay’s retreating figure, asked, “You don’t happen to have any connection to the Dragon Knights, do you?”
Jay hesitated for a moment, but he didn’t stop walking.
“How can that be possible? I’m just a hunter.”
–TL Notes–
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