abcnovels
Chapter 72: Request
Chapter 72: Request
Chapter 72: Request
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Drip, drip-the rain started to slowly fall, tapping against the window with a calming rhythm. At the villa's cozy-looking office, which also acted as a small library, Digby read through a mystery novel with a cup of tea in hand.
As he took another sip, suddenly a knock resonated throughout the room.
"Come in." Digby said roudly, closed the novel, and put the cup of tea down on the desk.
The door opened, and a well-armored guard entered the office with a low bow.
Digby's eyebrow rose. "You're on guard duty, are you not? Did something happen?"
"We have a person on the front gate that claims he received an invitation letter." The guard said.
"An invitation letter?" Digby frowned. "In the past few months, I have only sent one letter..." His eyes slowly began to widen, but he then shook his head, thinking that it wasn't possible. "Did you get the person's name?"
The guard looked awkward and scratched his head. "I forgot to ask..."
"That's fine." Digby stood up, fixing his jacket. "I'll go."
The guard nodded, and then, with Digby, they left the office and walked down the hallways until they arrived at the front yard. There, they saw a guard standing awkwardly with a young man standing under a small tree that was planted in the yard, trying to shelter himself from the rain.
"Guild Master!" The guard, who waited with Adam, bowed respectfully.
"Mm." Digby roughly nodded and turned to Adam, looking curious. "May I see the letter? I don't recall sending any invitation letters."
"Of course." Adam pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over to the red-haired guild master of Crimson Hound Mercenaries.
Digby removed the envelope, which had been previously ripped open, and started reading through the letter.
His eyes looked baffled, as if he couldn't believe what he was reading.
"May I see your mercenary card?" Digby's heartbeat started rising, and he pocketed the letter. "It's not that I don't believe your identity, but..."
"That's not a problem." Adam pulled out his mercenary card and handed it over to him.
Digby checked it out and saw the S-letter adorning the Recruit spot.
"Adam Palestar, the newly crowned S-ranker..." Digby gave him the card back and felt the rain fall on his head. "Can we continue this talk indoors?"
Hearing that name, the second guard's eyes widened in shock, and he turned to his friend. His friend shrugged his shoulders, equally surprised.
"Mm." Adam nodded and followed after Digby, while the two guards stayed outdoors as their duty was to guard the gate; it didn't matter whether it was sunny or rainy.
While walking down the hallways, Adam saw that the villa was shaped like a square with a large central yard. The central yard was used for some outdoor training, and currently, it was used by some mercenaries even though it rained.
Around the central yard, there were countless different rooms; some were rooms for
mercenaries, and a few were dojos or martial arts practice.
Digby and Adam left the central courtyard, walked down another hallway that went for about twenty meters, and arrived at the cozy-looking office.
Digby took a seat behind the desk, and Adam stayed standing, as his status wasn't high enough to sit in the same room as Prime Mercenary Digby.
'This feels weird.' Adam thought to himself.
He had forgotten how it was to be the one standing. He was the one sitting down, while others had to stand up and treat him with the utmost respect.
'Oh, he knows to respect the hierarchy.' Digby looked impressed, as new recruits always have a hard time getting used to it.
"Why did you want to join us?" Digby asked with a frown. "I know you, as a S-rank recruit, must've received hundreds of invitations. Out of all of them, you chose my guild; why?"
"First of all, I didn't want to go to Imperium City." Adam said, "I would be the weakest person there, and I feel like I would've been 'trapped' there. I like some freedom."
Digby nodded, feeling like that was a fair thought to have. Every other S-ranker went to Imperium City, as it was the place to gain the most strength in the fastest way.
This made Adam very unique as an S-ranker.
"Second, I wanted to be part of a guild that is fairly strong and not weak." Adam said. "This, as Tier 2 Guild, fits the criteria well."
"Honestly, this guild is barely Tier 2." Digby said, not sugarcoating it. "If I was barely weaker, we would drop to Tier 3. There're stronger Tier 2 guilds out there."
'He is unlike others, who are trying to paint a beautiful picture of their guild.' Adam thought. 'He is saying the truth.'
"I also heard that you're a great man." Adam said with his arms crossed. "Also, I believe that you can give me the protection I need. As you must know, some people will target me." "Protection, you say?" Digby leaned on the chair and looked intently at Adam. "Sure, I am one of the strongest people in Dawnwatch, but I am only one person."
"Your strength isn't only physical." Adam said. "You're the son of Samuel Chaucer, are you not?"
"How did you know?" Digby's frown loosened, and he stared at Adam in surprise. "I see, you are betting that no one will attack us because of my lineage."
"I am hoping so, at least."
"My father is old." Digby said solemnly. "One day, he will quit this 'game' and what then? I have some enemies, y'see."
"By then, I believe I can protect myself." Adam said and then bowed respectfully. "Please, let me join. You won't regret it."
Digby stood up from his chair and walked over to the window, watching as rain poured down from the dark clouds above.
"Crimson Hound's new generation isn't looking that strong." Digby said with a heavy voice. "Knoxx is looking promising, but others are not so much. I also believe that you won't stay with us forever, isn't that right?"
Adam nodded and said, "I appreciate the opportunity to learn from you and grow, but I also have my own path to follow."
"Haha." Digby laughed and scratched his scarred cheek. "I like your honesty. To be honest, I just sent the invitation letter out of courtesy. I never expected you to accept it.
"It brings some unwanted trouble to our guild, but I'm sure we can handle it."
"We?" Adam raised his head with a smile.
"Welcome to Crimson Hounds." Digby turned to him and nodded. "It's not everyday you get
to teach an S-ranker."
Adam sighed in relief and nodded with a slight smile. "Thank you, but... I also have a favor to
ask. Consider it an investment."
"What is it?" Digby sat back down and crossed his legs.
"May I get 100,000 E-Dollars in advance?" Adam said a shocking request.
"Hmm." Digby considered the request carefully before responding. "You have financial troubles that might hinder your ability to log in constantly?"
"That's right." Adam said. "If I receive that, I don't ask for monthly pay for the following
year."
Monthly Pay—each mercenary received a pay once a month, depending on their rank. It was why some guilds couldn't just hire everyone they could get their hands on.
The strong mercenaries cost too much for some smaller guilds to afford, so they had to carefully select who they hired.
"That's not needed." Digby waved his hand. "You'll receive your monthly pay as well as this small investment. It is not a big request. Other S-rankers have made far more ridiculous requests, but they've also joined Tier 1 guilds, who can afford it."
"I appreciate it." Adam said with relief. 'And now I have enough money to pay off the year's
rent in advance and also have money left to purchase a new VR Pod.
'This Bronze VR Pod limits my abilities far too much.'