Upon hearing the suggestion to register a mercenary group named after himself, only one word echoed in Yulian's mind.
'Embarrassing!'
To make matters worse, the person leading their group right now was Ghislain. He couldn't understand why the name had to be his.
Stammering, Yulian asked, "G-Ghislain? Why name the mercenary group like that?"
"It has to be this way."
To Ghislain, it was an obvious decision. Yulian needed to grow and rise. He simply had to become the center of the world.
After all, he was the hero destined to save this world.
Once Deneb fully awakened, the world would naturally bow down to her in reverence.
However, for Yulian to fulfill her role as the hero, he needed to build a reputation and prove his skills.
Hearing the name of the mercenary group, Deneb and Kyle burst out laughing.
"I think it's fine."
"Yeah. Ghislain is leaving later anyway, so just take it. I'll let you have it."
Though mortified, Yulian couldn't protest any further. Ghislain's staff was waving back and forth right in front of his eyes.
After spending days with him, Yulian had realized one thing—Ghislain was impossible to reason with. He would insist his way was always right.
Unable to win against him, Yulian slumped his shoulders and gave up resisting.
The guild manager led the group to an open space and said to Ghislain, "The highest rank we can issue here is intermediate. We don't have anyone qualified to test higher levels. For advanced ranks, you'd need to visit a bigger city."
"That's fine for now."
"If you're at the 5th Circle, we could give you the top rank here... Are you a 5th Circle mage?"
"Not quite. I'm just at the beginning."
The manager tilted his head, finding Ghislain's tone strange, as if he was repeating someone else's words.
"Well, even if you're at the start, 5th Circle should qualify. Can you show me a 5th Circle spell?"
Ghislain made a slightly annoyed face.
"Hey, didn't you just see my terrifying Spear of Mana? And now you're asking me to show more magic?"
"N-No, I understand you're skilled... but I need to verify the Circle properly..."
Though sweating nervously, the manager didn't back down. He knew mages were eccentric and sensitive, but he still had to confirm it.
Ha.
"What a distrustful world we live in," Ghislain said, shaking his head before summoning his Spear of Mana again.
This time, instead of creating several smaller ones, he gathered his power to form a single, massive spear.
The manager was startled by its overwhelming presence.
"W-Wow... T-That's incredible! I'll grant you the highest rank we can give here. But to engrave your Circle on the badge, I still need confirmation... Is this really 5th Circle magic?"
"It is."
"But I don't recognize this spell. Could you show a more common one?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"My magic... It always draws blood when cast."
"..."
In truth, Ghislain didn't know any magic. No matter how much they asked, he couldn't show them.
But the manager was persistent.
"Look, I need to engrave your Circle on the badge."
"I refuse."
"You can't just refuse!"
"..."
When Ghislain remained silent, ignoring him, the manager clutched his chest in frustration.
"Is it hard to cast a 5th Circle spell? Too much mana consumption? Then show me a 4th Circle spell!"
"..."
"3rd Circle! Just something simple!"
"..."
"Fine! 2nd Circle! Even a Fireball will do!"
"..."
"1st Circle! Just Light magic! Do you need blood for Light too?"
The manager, now determined, refused to back down without seeing even the simplest spell.
However, Ghislain gritted his teeth and kept pretending not to hear. He never lost in battles of wills.
Finally, the manager's suspicion exploded.
"Hey! Are you even a real mage?"
BOOM!
Ghislain's Spear of Mana obliterated part of the nearby building. The sudden display of power left the officer in shock.
Ghislain frowned and said, "If this isn't magic, then what is it?"
"N-No, it's magic, but! I still need confirmation... Other mages show their spells..."
"Keep doubting me, and I'll really lose my temper."
Ghislain stubbornly refused to yield. Honestly, he wanted to show them more, but he simply couldn't.
Fortunately, society's long-held perception of mages being eccentric worked in his favor. It hadn't changed in a thousand years.
The manager resigned himself to the situation.
Mages really are all insane.
In the end, Ghislain received an intermediate badge marked with 5th Circle magic.
Although the guild couldn't issue higher ranks, the 5th Circle mark would be recognized anywhere.
"Now, let's check the others. Since I called for intermediate testers, it'll take a moment."
Ghislain shook his head.
"These two can use mana. That means they're knight-level."
"What? Seriously? But they're so young!"
"They are. You can check for yourself."
"I-I guess if it's true, there's no need for a sparring match."
Typically, mercenary ranks were assessed through duels, and this guild could evaluate up to intermediate levels.
But there was an exception—those who could use mana.
Mana-users didn't need to prove themselves through duels; their abilities spoke for themselves.
In an era where even knights turned to banditry, mercenaries with mana were not uncommon.
However, most were grizzled veterans, not promising youths.
The manager was wide-eyed as Yulian and Kyle drew their swords, infusing them with mana.
A faint, bluish glow enveloped their blades—unmistakable evidence of mana usage.
"It's true? But how are they so young...?"
A supposed 5th Circle mage and two mana-wielders—this was an exceptional group of talents.
Grinning broadly, the manager said, "Great, great. I'll issue both of you intermediate badges."
Now friendlier, the officer even tried to cozy up to them. Mages might be insufferable, but talented warriors were worth befriending.
Ghislain pointed to Deneb.
"Give her an intermediate badge too."
The manager blinked.
"But she's... a priestess?"
"Yeah. Skip the tests. Just do it."
"Wait, can priests even register as mercenaries?"
"Why not?"
Deneb blinked as well. The church's laws didn't explicitly forbid priests from becoming mercenaries.
Not that anyone had ever tried it before.
The manager hesitated.
"Then... how do I assess her rank?"
Ghislain dismissed the concern.
"Intermediate. She can use holy power."
"C-Can you show me?"
Deneb extended her hand, emitting a faint but holy light.
The manager felt his fatigue ease, confirming the presence of holy power.
'This is huge!'
Whether her holy power was strong or weak didn't matter. Having a priest in a mercenary group was significant.
Two knight-level warriors, a priestess, and an eccentric but powerful mage—they were small in number but well-balanced.
And they were young. With growth and survival, they'd surely become famous.
Smiling, the manager introduced himself.
"My name's Jackson. I'll issue your badges right away and handle the group registration. Let's get along, alright?"
Ghislain casually replied, "We already are. Let's keep it that way."
Ghislain readily extended his hand for a handshake. Jackson immediately bowed and offered handshakes to Yulian and Kyle as well.
Although the self-proclaimed vice-captain, a mage, seemed to handle most of the practical matters, Yulian was still the official captain.
After completing the tests, Jackson brought out some light refreshments and said,
"You'll need to wait a bit for the mercenary badges to be made. Should I bring some job requests in the meantime?"
"Sure, preferably something that pays well."
Jobs that paid well also meant they were more dangerous. The greater the risk, the faster they could sharpen their skills. It would also help them gain fame quickly.
Jackson showed them a list of job requests currently available at the mercenary guild.
After skimming through the list, Ghislain asked in a dissatisfied tone,
"Ugh, these all look lame. Don't you have anything more dangerous?"
With a slightly troubled expression, Jackson replied, "Uh, well, there aren't any high-paying jobs right now. This area isn't the kind of place where dangerous things happen."
This was a small town, after all. Most mercenary requests here involved escorting travelers or transporting goods over short distances.
"Ugh, I guess we'll have to wait a few days. If nothing comes up, we'll just take an escort job and move to another city."
"Even if you wait, you're not going to find something as dangerous as what you're hoping for. Since this is your first job, why not start with something reasonable to gain experience?"
"No way. Taking high-paying, intense jobs is the fastest way to become famous."
"Tsk, tsk. I've seen plenty of people die chasing after that."
Jackson clicked his tongue, but Ghislain didn't budge. It was his belief to go all-in when he did something.
Even after receiving their mercenary badges, Ghislain and his group lingered around the guild for several days. They treated it almost like their home—eating meals there and even using the open training grounds to practice.
Jackson gave them subtle hints to leave, but Ghislain insisted they were waiting for a request and refused to budge.
Of course, Ghislain didn't want to ruin his reputation by appearing too shameless, so he handed over a bit of money as a usage fee. With that, Jackson reluctantly allowed them to stay.
One day, while the group was still camping out at the guild—
"Mercenaries! I need mercenaries!"
A young man burst into the guild, looking for help.
He had a gentle and soft demeanor. Though his clothes were slightly dirty, the fabric was of noticeably high quality.
"What do you need them for?"
Jackson stepped forward and asked. The young man urgently began to explain.
"I need a champion for a duel. Please introduce me to a skilled mercenary."
"A duel? Don't tell me... the Lacus Merchant Guild? The heir of the Lacus Merchant Guild, Lord Rio?"
"Y-Yes, that's right. Has the rumor already spread this far?"
Jackson frowned, his expression filled with pity.
"I'll accept the request, but I doubt anyone will step forward."
"T-There's not much time. Isn't there a skilled mercenary available?"
Jackson glanced toward the back. At that moment, Ghislain's group was finishing their training and sitting at a table, eating.
The food had been ordered from a nearby inn and delivered by a waitress.
'Damn it... this place is turning into a restaurant...'
While Jackson was grumbling internally, Ghislain approached and asked, "What's going on?"
"They're looking for someone to fight in a duel."
"A duel?"
"Yeah, that Merchant Guild got into a dispute with the lord. The lord challenged them to a champion's duel... It's the kind of dangerous job you like."
"That's not the kind of danger I'm interested in. These duels don't really help much."
Ghislain quickly lost interest.
What he wanted was a thrilling battle, not political entanglements. Those only brought headaches and exhaustion.
Besides, dueling in a small territory like this wouldn't do much to improve his skills.
Rio clung to Jackson, pleading.
"Please find me a skilled mercenary. There isn't much time left."
"Ah... I'll register your request for now. But honestly, getting involved with the lord..."
"We've been wronged! The lord is framing us and acting unreasonably. I'm sure someone will help if they hear the truth."
Rio appealed to their sense of justice, but Jackson only gave him an awkward smile and shook his head.
"I'll let the mercenaries know, but don't get your hopes up."
"Ugh... sob..."
Rio eventually collapsed and started crying. Seeing this, Deneb whispered, "He seems... like someone who's been wronged..."
"Stop right there," Ghislain interrupted. "That's just his side of the story. We need to hear both sides before judging."
"R-Right?"
"Exactly. People always speak from their own perspective. Whether he's truly innocent or just making excuses, we can't know without more information. If you want to get involved, make sure you have the full picture first."
Ghislain's serious tone made it clear he believed in acting rationally—at least in his own view.
Hearing this, Rio shouted, "We're truly innocent! We've been framed! Don't speak like that if you're not going to help!"
Ghislain clicked his tongue and shook his head.
He had encountered countless people while working as a mercenary, many of whom were greedy and deceitful.
Whenever they were accused, they always claimed to be innocent.
The present era was even harsher than the future. Trusting someone based on a one-sided story was unwise.
Yulian, Deneb, and Kyle were impressed by Ghislain's cold judgment.
Until now, they had always rushed to help whenever someone asked, without thinking it through.
'Ghislain is amazing.'
'I need to learn how to be that rational.'
'What if the Merchant Guild really is in the wrong?'
While the three were admiring him, Rio continued sobbing.
"Sob! Does justice not exist in this world?!"
Rio looked so pitiful that even the onlookers felt their hearts ache.
Yulian and Deneb bit their lips as they watched him.
They wanted to help. They wanted to solve his problem.
But the two held themselves back. They had promised Ghislain not to be pushovers anymore.
Jackson helped Rio to his feet. It seemed certain now that the Lacus Merchant Guild was doomed.
"Alright, I'll try to find someone. But if you're in a hurry, you might want to look elsewhere."
Rio responded with a defeated expression.
"There's less than a week left. How am I supposed to find someone in another town in time?"
"I'm truly sorry I can't help you more."
Jackson's polite refusal made Rio mutter in despair, "If only we hadn't discovered that gold mine..."
At those words, Ghislain suddenly stood up.
"Wait a second. Did you say gold mine?"
"Huh? Y-Yes... Part of the gold mine lies on our land. The lord is trying to take it by framing us..."
Ghislain strode over and grabbed Rio's hand firmly.
"Oh no... What a terrible injustice. The lord's tyranny must have been unbearable."
"W-What?"
"We're a mercenary group that only pursues justice. Our mission is to eliminate evil. From what I've heard, your situation sounds genuinely unfair."
"Huh? But earlier you said—"
"Ahem. We'll help you."
Rio's eyes widened in surprise. Ghislain smiled brightly and said, "For justice."
[T/L: I need your support, dear readers. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]