"Of course, there have always been many idlers here who are unwilling to farm and choose to make blood money, veterans who can fight and retired veterans always lose all their money for various reasons, and if you are willing to pay, they are willing to die. If you think you have enough money to hire a few people, I can put you in touch with them, but I'll charge you a little for a consultation. ”

"I lost a couple of brothers after my last job, but I also made a lot of money. In fact, I'm going to make some business with the money, and I need good enough guards and a good guide to help us avoid all the troublesome sections. ”

The most important thing for Byron now is to leave the Nord Kingdom as soon as possible and run to the relatively safe Kingdom of Vekia, although he has indeed come to the Nord side to run a business before, but he doesn't remember anything except a few main roads, he needs a good guide to lead him out of here. As for the reason, as he said to the boss just now, it doesn't sound like a problem for a mercenary who has lost all his comrades and has saved up to become a businessman, after all, quite a few mercenaries have worked as caravan guards.

"Switching to business? Interesting, I hope you can make money. (whispering: instead of losing all your money or dying at the hands of robbers) So, let me think about what the right person is here. When the innkeeper heard Byron's words, he pursed his lips and muttered without a smile, and then looked down in thought.

"There aren't many crops ripening this season, and there aren't a lot of caravan guards coming here... I can recommend Bear and his brothers, they used to be lumberjacks, they can make axes, and they are very strong, especially Bear himself, and everyone gives him this nickname for no reason. Now the trees around the town have been cut down and planted, and they have no money to earn, so they come out to work hard, all of them are locals, although they have a big temper, but they are reliable. If you can afford it, there's a veteran who can go with you, who gambled on the dice and lost all his savings, and now he can take on any job. "The tavern owner recommended.

"What about the guide? I also need a good guide. ”

"Good guides are not easy to find, especially when it comes to knowing the way of the whole kingdom, and now is not the time for business travel, and I suspect that the whole of Jeerburg will not find such a person. Sorry man, but that's just the way it is. The boss shrugged his shoulders and said there was no suitable candidate.

In this regard, Byron had no choice but to take his word for granted, and asked him to recommend someone who could be familiar with the surrounding area to act as a temporary guide. This time, the other party was very happy, telling that there are many such people in the village, especially the veteran he recommended to the other party, age represents experience, he may be a little old, but he has been to many places with the troops, at least Byron is going to Wocheze or Suggs, if he leads the way, it is absolutely no problem.

"Well, now there's only one thing left, where do I go to find them?"

"Big Bear and his three brothers I can put you in touch, but you'll have to give them the right number, otherwise..."

Before the boss could finish speaking, Byron had already taken out a somewhat faded gold coin from his wallet at his waist, and tapped it on the counter a few times with two fingers.

"It's a deposit. Let them come to me with their gear, and I can pay them handsomely if I'm satisfied. But it's best that they're all honest and reliable, as you say, and I don't want someone to try to run away with my goods and belongings one night, and I'll have to go through the trouble of cleaning the portal. ”

"Well, I think you'll both be satisfied."

Looking at the gold coins in Byron's hand, the boss's eyes also flashed a fine light, after running the tavern for many years, he also has a few small gold coins, and his eyes are not so red, but it is quite rare for a mercenary leader to shoot so generously. He was no longer worried that the other party would not be able to pay the money, and began to wonder if the big bear and the others could get into the eyes of the rich mercenary captain.

As for the veteran, the boss told Byron his address and told Byron that it was best for him to go and find it in person and negotiate face-to-face. He said the veteran had a strange temper and that he wouldn't come if he didn't go in person.

In this case, Byron only needs to go over in person. However, he did not forget the problem of self-defense, he hung a battlefield and a short axe on the armed belt around his waist, as well as an armed sword, whether it was indoor or outdoor, he could fight back with the right weapon. He also brought with him the money pockets in his saddle pockets, which were the only things that noble knights had to carry, and were as important as weapons. If something happens, gold and silver can show his captive opponent his financial prowess, persuade him to bypass his life, and then wait for the knight to redeem him with more money. Of course, this is not always safe, and sometimes if the other party is too lazy to ask for a ransom, these pockets will become their trophies, which is why Byron can always capture a sum of dinar cash at the end of the battle.

Ready, Byron went to the dilapidated log cabin and knocked on the door.

"Which nasty ghost is bothering me?!"

He had barely knocked on the door three times when he heard an angry voice coming from behind the door.

"Listen, if you are sent by someone who asks for an account, then you can go back and tell him that I will pay it back when I have money. If he bites hard, I'll break your wrists!" ”

Obviously, the other party is as embarrassed as the tavern owner said, so Byron has a greater certainty of recruiting him.

"Don't get me wrong, Ekirsun, I'm just a mercenary captain, and I'm doing a little business by the way. I need manpower now, and the owner of the tavern said you can help me. ”

"Who? The one who sells alcohol? Well, I told him about it. Well, mercenaries, do you have money? ”

"Do you want to hear it?" Byron said as he shook the purse full of silver and gold coins in his hand.

After a brief silence, the wooden door creaked open, and a man who looked about fifty years old, but was still very strong, appeared in front of Byron.

His beard was already showing signs of graying, and his clothes were worn and worn, but they were so clean that he could see that he had once been glorious, otherwise he would not have to be so vainly whitewashed. He was muscular and at least 1.9 meters tall, and Byron even needed to look up when he looked at him. His body does not have a particularly obvious muscular shape, but his barrel-like body is very strong, and his arms and calves are thick and powerful, which is really suitable for battle, powerful and powerful, and he has a stronger tolerance for flesh wounds than those muscular hunks. The scars that can be seen everywhere on his body are the best proof of Byron's speculation.

"Come in, let's talk."

After a brief glance at Byron, Ekirsson leaned over and motioned for Byron to enter, keeping his eyes fixed on the purse.

As soon as Byron entered the house, he pushed the door shut, almost scaring Byron into a cold sweat. The confidence he had in his own strength before, after seeing this guy who could be called a humanoid monster, was not left at all. But he began to calm down, pretending to be calm and sitting on a broken round stool, and chatting with the other party.

"What do you call it?" Ekilsson asked with a glare.

"Ahh You can call me Monet, Monet... Hebart. ”

Byron was almost stunned by the other party's question, but fortunately he had already made up a strange name for himself that was difficult to distinguish between real and fake. He didn't know why he had come up with the name, as if a voice had been telling him to say it.

"Monet Hecard? Or Hebat? Forget it, hell. (Whispering: What kind of parents would give their children such names.) Hearing such a strange name, Ekilsson frowned and whispered a few words.

"Well, strange-named fellow, I haven't heard of you and your mercenaries. However, by the fact that your men die or leave you, it is clear that you are not very competent as a captain. What the? How do I know, you ask? Nonsense, they all came to me, I'm still an old mercenary, what if I didn't have a problem with the commission and suffered a loss. I wouldn't have promised you before, but now that I owe a lot of money, I don't have to choose. Say, what live? The other party asked a little carelessly.

"Protect my caravans, my little business, from here to Vekia, and perhaps further east. If you think it's possible, just make a price, and I can see that you've honed your skills in the war, and I'd be happy to hire someone like you. Byron deliberately said vaguely so that the other party could not figure out his purpose, but judging from the other party's situation, he should not refuse.

"It's as simple as that? Well, I see, your goods are not clean, or you don't want to pay taxes to the Yars, you don't want to take the easy road. I can take this job, and I have to use the deposit of 50 dinars to pay off the debt. The salary is paid weekly, 12 dinars, and half if there is loot. Trust me, when you hire me, you'll know it's not much. If you can't afford it, then you can go. ”

The other party's price was very high, and his attitude was also very arrogant, but Monet could hear that there was actually a bargaining in his tone. This time, it was Byron's turn to look at the other party.

"Do you have any equipment?" He asked.

"No, it's all there."

Ekirsson pointed casually, and Byron looked in that direction, and saw a well-maintained set of equipment hanging there on an armor stand, and a large axe and shield by the wall.

It was a set of high-quality chain mail of similar quality to Byron's chain mail, and the chain mail also had a layer of leather studded with a lot of rivets, and the slash of the sword could not break through the strong defense of this chain mail. The Nord-style goggle hangs from the bracket, which has a lot of scratches but is still largely intact. The massive battle axes in both hands and the glaring axes with round shields were polished and stacked in the corners of the walls, along with a few other somewhat rotten weapons. On the large round shield, Byron could still see the almost faded blue background and the black shadow of a bird.

"You're a royal guard!" Byron blurted out in surprise.

"It used to be." Ekilsson's body shuddered for a moment, and a blush flashed across his face, as if he remembered the glory days of the past.

"For 15 dinars a week, the spoils you get, unless there is a special need, are yours. If you can, I hope we'll be on our way early tomorrow morning! ”

Byron stood up, and with a very solemn expression, handed him a few large silver coins. Ekirsson looked at him in surprise, looking at the money in his hand, the sadness on his face gradually subsided, and his tone softened a lot.

"Just listen to you, Captain."