Hearing the words of the Kaiden mercenary, Mohg couldn't help but blink, a look of sheer bewilderment crossing his face.
Given how aggressively the group had charged toward him, he had assumed they were about to launch a raid. He had already tightened his grip on his staff, prepared to retaliate, only to find out they were just stopping him to ask if he wanted to hire them.
The sudden shift left Mohg a bit blindsided. It was as if you were walking home and a hulking, scar-faced brute came stomping toward you with a murderous glint in his eye, only for his first words to be:
"Hey buddy, you want to sign up for a gym membership?"
After taking a closer look at the unit of Kaiden sellswords, Mohg gave a silent nod of approval.
They were fully equipped with armor, weapons, and warhorses—a squad of five well-trained mercenaries. In a small-scale skirmish, a team like this could handle most problems, especially when the opposition was just a rabble of mountain bandits and highwaymen. If they fought, it would be a complete slaughter.
"And if I have no intention of hiring you, what do you plan to do?" Mohg asked, looking at the leader while voicing his curiosity.
The Kaiden leader tilted his head, glancing back at his companions.
"Then we'd simply wish you the best of luck, Master Sorcerer."
Mohg's mouth twitched. Well, aren't they just remarkably polite.
"To be honest, this isn't quite what I expected. I thought you might resort to force," Mohg said, relaxing his stance and resting his staff across his front.
"What are you saying? We Kaiden sellswords are a group of high repute. Why would we ever use violence against a potential client? If we did that, business wouldn't last very long." The leader shook his head at Mohg, raising a single finger to emphasize his point.
"Besides, there is plenty of business and opportunity on this land right now. There's no need to ruin our standing by descending into banditry over a few measly Runes. That would be beneath us."
"What is your name?"
"Brumon Kaello. That is my name. So, Master Sorcerer, do you intend to hire us for the remainder of your journey?"
"To be honest, I'm something of a warrior myself—I'm just not wearing the appropriate armor at the moment. However, I am quite interested in your group. So... give me a quote," Mohg said with a faint smile.
Brumon's eyes lit up at the prospect of a contract. He nodded quickly and rattled off the price for his squad.
"Twenty-five thousand Runes."
Mohg's breath hitched. He stared at the mercenary in disbelief, his eyes practically asking if the man had any idea what he was saying.
"Don't look at me like that, Sorcerer. The strength of us five is well worth the price."
"Your strength might be worth it, but the level of danger in this area certainly isn't. Furthermore, I have no cargo to protect, and the distance isn't that great. I find that price unacceptable."
Mohg narrowed his eyes and shook his head. While he wanted to hire a Kaiden mercenary to gather intelligence on the road—and perhaps see if he could eventually recruit them into his own faction—that didn't mean he was willing to be a sucker.
Brumon lowered his head in thought. Just as Mohg expected him to try and haggle for a higher price, the mercenary gave a slow nod.
"You have a point... That price is a bit unreasonable. This is our first time encountering a client who is traveling alone. Please, forgive us."
"...Forget it. Ten thousand Runes. How does that sound?" Mohg offered after a short silence.
"Deal."
Brumon nodded, accepting the offer instantly. With a wave of his hand, he signaled his companions to fan out into a protective formation around Mohg.
"Before we set off, I need to change my gear. Wait for me a moment."
"Understood."
Mohg stepped into the nearby woods and swapped his robes for the armor of Rellana. When he emerged clad in the magnificent, ornate plate, Brumon's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He kept glancing behind Mohg, trying to figure out where such a massive set of equipment could have been hidden.
"Sorcer... er, Sir Knight?"
"Just call me Gwyn. The clothes from before were for a specific task. As for the nature of that task, don't ask. Your only duty is to escort me to the Gate Town."
Brumon felt a sudden urge to scratch his cheek in embarrassment. He began to feel that his approach earlier had been a bit redundant.
Looking at the quality of that Carian-style knightly armor, the man probably didn't need any protection at all. In fact, there was a good chance the five of them combined couldn't take this one man down.
This guy is just a philanthropist, Brumon realized.
"I haven't told you my name yet. It's Gwyn. Just call me Gwyn. Let's move—the distance isn't vast, but there's still a ways to go."
"Right."
Brumon nodded, then brought his thumb and forefinger to his lips, letting out a sharp, piercing whistle. Two mercenaries at the front of the line immediately spurred their horses forward.
"Those two are acting as scouts. They'll clear the path and keep an eye out for any danger ahead," Brumon explained, noticing the curiosity in Mohg's eyes.
Mohg nodded. "By the way, where is your base of operations? It would make it easier for me to find you if I need your services again in the future."
"Oh, it's in the rocky woods to the southwest. It's not easy to find, though. If you want to hire us again, just go to the tavern in the nearby town of Liurnia and speak to the owner. He's our contact. Once he gets word, we'll send someone over to talk business."
"Understood. I'll keep that in mind."
Mohg inclined his head. He planned to pass this information to Holuf and the others so they could reach out to these mercenaries and discuss a long-term contract.
"What do you think of the situation in the Lake District moving forward?"
"War is coming, most likely. We're actually quite happy about it. The only thing we have to worry about is whether the bidding price will be high enough."
"Which faction are you leaning toward?"
"Carian."
"Hm? Why? Isn't the Golden Order's momentum much stronger?" Mohg asked, looking at Brumon with interest.
"Precisely because they are stronger and have more troops. Their offer definitely won't match what the Carians are willing to pay. When the time comes, our leader will certainly choose the Carians."
"I see... Tell me, if someone were to offer an even higher price midway through, would you betray your current employer?"
"Impossible. If we did that even once, our reputation would be gone. Unless..."
"Unless?"
"Unless they made an offer we couldn't refuse."
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (383 Chapters – Ongoing)
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