Chapter 107: Inventory of Spoils
The traveler spoke in great detail and with a serious expression, but Arthur felt surprisingly little about it.
Verden, tsk. He'd already heard about them in Brokilon the kingdom that had organized five expeditions against the dryads, only to be utterly defeated every single time. At the time, Arthur had been curious: the dryads were already diminished to near-extinction, yet they could repeatedly crush Verden. How incompetent must that country be?
Now he saw it: a unit specifically assigned to dirty work, whose combat effectiveness was questionable, and who failed to handle even the simplest details though they were excellent at dramatic naming.
The "Night Crows" it sounded impressive, yet they completely collapsed the moment things went slightly awry. Regarding such a nation, even if their king ascended to heaven in a fit of pique, how much trouble could they actually stir up?
Still, these were internal thoughts he didn't need to share with a stranger.
He placed his left hand over his right breast, nodding solemnly to the traveler: "Thank you for the warning. I will be careful."
This was a small gesture he had picked up while listening to Triss instruct Mara on the etiquette of the nobility if you wish to end a conversation gracefully, an elegant and formal courtesy is always effective.
"Heh, looks like I was being overly concerned." The traveler's expression shifted slightly, then he laughed in self-mockery: "Ah, youth. Fearless and bold. I was going to try and sell you this iron bar, but now it seems I should look for another buyer."
'Selling the weapon to someone' was mercenaries' slang for accepting a contract from that person. That statement explained why the traveler felt the need to show off his skill, why he knew so much about the Night Crows, and why he repeatedly warned Arthur about the danger of his situation.
Earning money is nothing to be ashamed of.
"Then I wish you great fortune in your endeavors."
Faced with the traveler's self-promotion, Arthur chose to feign ignorance, offering a brief and appropriate farewell before turning his horse to rejoin his companions. Honestly, the man's skill was impressive, and his conversation suggested he was experienced and shrewd he was indeed a worthy candidate for hire.
However, there was a prerequisite: the potential employer needed to be an ordinary person, not a team of five and a half people who could defeat a thirty-man squad of seasoned soldiers.
"Hey, catch this!"
Arthur hadn't gone far when he suddenly heard the traveler shout behind him, and something zipped toward his cheek.
Arthur's right hand flashed past his face like lightning, precisely intercepting the object. It was a card:
[Corvo Ice-Scar. Master of Staff Fighting, Long & Short Sword Arts, and Negotiation Techniques. Accepts all manner of contracts, including Trial by Combat, Personnel Protection, and Cargo Escort.]
"My resume and contact details are on the back. If you change your mind, you can always find me!"
Corvo smiled, waving at Arthur, his teeth shining brightly, before continuing on his way.
The card flipped in Arthur's palm, revealing a back covered in tiny print. It was almost entirely filled with content like:
[Killed X enemies in the XX War] [Helped Lord XX achieve victory]
The man was truly distinguished in combat. At the very bottom of the card, a few lines of enlarged, bold text were printed:
[Contact Address: XXXX] [Accepting commissions through offices in Temeria, Brugge, and Lyria]
It was clear that Corvo was doing extremely well in the mercenary business, with his operations spanning three kingdoms: Temeria, Brugge, and Lyria.
"Corvo Ice-Scar…" After watching the man walk away, Arthur returned his attention to the card in his palm.
It wasn't touching his skin, but floating quietly Arthur had captured it with an invisible telekinetic field.
Pffft. A small flame suddenly ignited, consuming the card into ash in a few seconds, which then scattered traceless in the wind.
"Hmph… What a strange fellow."
It wasn't until the very last speck of ash had been carried away by the wind that Arthur finally breathed a sigh of relief.
From the moment he first laid eyes on Corvo, he had felt a heavy unease, like being nakedly surrounded by venomous snakes. The feeling was inexplicable but intensely strong. Arthur figured it was his Nord battle sense warning him.
"Hey, what's the situation? Everything alright?"
Just around the bend, he saw Zoltan's bald head. The dwarf was gripping the saddle horn for dear life, yelling at Arthur at the top of his lungs.
"All sorted. How did things go on your end?" Arthur raised his hand and cast an Axii Sign, calming the chestnut mare Zoltan was riding. He didn't know who was so wicked as to convince Zoltan to ride such a tall horse; the dwarf's legs were shorter than Ciri's and couldn't even reach the stirrups.
"Ha, thanks! You saved my life!" Zoltan wiped the sweat from his forehead, then immediately continued to shout: "It's a great pity you didn't see the fighting over here! That Red Kite... Maria, she was impossibly strong! Those crossbowmen didn't even have time to aim before she sent them back to Verden with an arrow each!"
That strong?! Arthur's eyes narrowed. Maria had shown impressive archery skills when fighting the giant centipede, but he never imagined she could be this good! Could it be the effects of the Brokilon water?
Zoltan didn't give him much time to dwell, pointing a hand toward the Witcher in the distance who was corralling horses: "We struck gold this time! Over twenty warhorses, all purebreds, and they've been well-fed!"
"Any stallions?" Hearing that the horses were good breeds, the little squirrel in Arthur's heart started to scratch again.
"Of course not! How could they ride stallions? Even if they could, these weak-kneed bastards couldn't handle them. Plenty of mares, though what are you planning, lad?" Zoltan looked at Arthur suspiciously.
"Hehehe, the few of us can't ride off with all these horses." Arthur eagerly waved everyone over, excitement spilling from his face.
He had just inquired in the psychic network. Groot had subtly indicated that it could care for any living, fleshy creature. Jackbar was much more direct, stating that caring for horses was no harder than photosynthesis. If he handed these over to Groot, and later bought a few excellent stallions… Slurp, Arthur wiped the corner of his mouth, and said solemnly:
"I plan to entrust the mares to the Treants for safekeeping, and retrieve them when needed I won't take them for free; I'll compensate everyone in crowns."
After speaking, Arthur felt a momentary regret not because he was stingy with money, but because he worried his excitement had made him too crude, and his offer might be construed as an insult.
Fortunately, everyone was very supportive.
"Heh heh, I agree! I've been wanting to get my own set of smelters for a long time." Zoltan rubbed his bald head, flashing a foolish grin.
Geralt stroked the satchel at his waist, a conflicted and nostalgic look on his face: "Thank you very much. I… am very short on cash lately."
Dandelion was planning to send a gift of Brugge specialties to his lover, and Koglgrim needed to replenish the components for his North Wind bomb after its misuse. Everyone was in need of money.
Only Maria and Ciri refused to accept, and not out of anger.
Maria: "You've saved my life more than once. I was already troubled about how to repay you, so how can I take your money now?"
Ciri: "I was hiding right in the middle when the fighting started. I didn't contribute at all Grandma said you can't take things for free from others."