bookandnovel Chapter 16 concludes.
Chapter 16 concludes.
A line of legionary soldiers wearing conical steel helmets stopped simultaneously in front of the shop.
They were clad in iron scales, with chainmail hanging down their sides, unlike the usual professional warriors who were undisciplined and as disciplined as iron men bound together.
Tenor abandoned his idea of fighting his way out and began to think about how to escape from prison if he was captured.
If anyone could break through the encirclement of this group of at least novice professional warriors, it certainly wouldn't be anyone present.
Fortunately, he hadn't claimed the reward from the previous mission. Even though his weapon was confiscated, he could still obtain a shield by claiming the reward, so he wouldn't be completely unarmed.
His human form is vastly different from that of an alien; the iron chains that bind others can be easily broken free once he undergoes a transformation.
Reginald's face darkened, and as his thoughts raced, he guessed that he had fallen victim to a trick of using one enemy to devour another.
He didn't immediately cast a spell to lead everyone to escape—that was impossible; the Imperial Legion warriors moving in groups would inevitably have accompanying mages, and might even be carrying "holy relics."
—A magical item corresponding to high-ranking clergy or above, possessing powerful magic due to the martyrdom of saints.
The empire has 36 standing legions, each with at least one sacred artifact. The legionary infantry is composed entirely of professionals, and there are also many non-standing auxiliary legions. This formidable military strength is the foundation of the empire's power to intimidate other nations.
Reginald took out a wax tablet folded in a specific way from the pocket of his burqa, which was stamped with an emblem in the shape of a 'spreading eagle'.
He held the wax tablet high, gesturing to the soldiers who rushed into the shop, and shouted in the Imperial language in a strange and booming tone:
"In the name of Clotho!"
The soldiers stopped almost reflexively, raising their right hands in a regimental salute. "Victory!"
Tenor's pessimistic premonition dissipated, and he finally knew who Reginald was referring to as "that person".
...
Outside the towers of Laghetti Castle, on the lawn, the weather was sunny and breezy.
Ignoring the strange looks from passersby, Tenor said to Doctor John, "Those country bumpkins from Laghettia are really ignorant."
John, sitting on the lawn, shook his head with a smile. "I'm afraid in their eyes we're the ignorant country bumpkins."
He sighed again, "My respected friend, let me tell you about this tortuous experience, after all, you know that we served the governor."
"Please speak." Tenor lay lazily to one side, having changed into a long robe—he hadn't asked for money; it was given to him by the governor's butler...the old woman was afraid he would affect the city's appearance.
No matter what, it's always good to save a little money.
John paused, then began to speak in a remarkably emotional tone:
"Governor Clotus had a brilliant plan—he hoped that our Nordroa Company, these 'outsiders,' would stir up trouble in Laghettiia so that he could take the opportunity to clean up the traitors under his nose."
You know, it's convenient for outsiders to do anything, like a good, handy knife that can be neatly put away after use.
Tenor laughed heartily. These upper-class people were always timid and hesitant. If it were him, he would have just killed them outright. There was no need to use someone else to do the killing.
Why would a marshal, a legendary general who commands the western legions, care about parasites within the system?
"It seems His Excellency the Governor's plans have failed; we've botched it."
John smiled and said, "Fate always loves to play tricks... Now that the Governor's relationship with our team has been exposed under the light of the Lord of Light, that secret commission can only be regretfully terminated."
"It sounds like a huge loss. Is there any room for negotiation on salary?" Tenor was more concerned about the profits, since he had also participated in part of the operation, and Reginald might give him a share of the money.
John replied with some regret, "To be honest, the initial agreed-upon reward was a full three hundred gold coins."
In retrospect, getting a hundred of them would be a blessing from the gods—even though we did manage to kill the "Masked Man," the head of the Pleasure Society in the city.
Sigh, in this world, getting things done and getting paid are two completely different things!
"One hundred gold coins?" Tenor gasped, but then realized that for a governor, this commission was just a small amount of money.
Moreover, such a large sum of money is to be divided among more than a dozen people, so it's actually not much. There may be other factors that prompted Reginald to accept the commission.
...From this perspective, it is indeed unusual that the initial water ghost commission could yield '10 gold coins'.
A professional adventurer who understands the market would definitely not take the job—there must be a trap, and that's certainly the case.
Spending 10 gold coins can attract a group of cannon fodder and cause internal strife within the Emerald Order, which is very cost-effective.
"Sigh, has Anthony been caught yet?" Tenor and he had already fallen out. After all, it was his poor judgment that led Tenor to the hideout.
He must be holding a grudge after the Pleasure Association's hideout was shut down. It would be best to use the governor's power to get rid of him now.
John frowned. "You were supposed to have attended the banquet with me... I heard at the banquet that the mage Anthony disappeared before the soldiers' operation..."
"Sigh, we shouldn't have revealed ourselves so early!"
There must be heretics lurking among the governor's officials, as evidenced by Anthony's ability to escape before the soldiers could act.
Tenor didn't know what to say. Now that the enemy was in the dark while he was in the light, the only good thing was that the wanted order had been lifted, and at least he could settle in the inner city.
But how could he settle in the inner city during this period? Wouldn't settling down be like a torch in the darkness?
Fortunately, the Emerald Order and the Pleasure Society suffered heavy losses, and probably only have their informants within the system left, so they are not a threat.
Not long after, the doors of the main tower opened, and a preoccupied Reginald walked out of the Lord's Hall.
He forced a smile, "Thank you all for your hard work." The adventurers who were resting in various places stood up and surrounded the captain, dividing up the money one after another.
Tenor didn't join in the fun; after all, he wasn't a formal member of the adventure team.
After a while, Reginald walked up to Tenor and tossed him a palm-sized money bag.
Despite having anticipated it, Tenor was still delighted and grateful, and held Reginald in even higher regard.
He could have chosen not to give a single penny, but he still gave some money to Tenor.
Reginald's eyes held even deeper gratitude. "Thanks to you, if you hadn't disrupted the Pleasure Society's gathering, if you hadn't taken the dark sword for Gale, if you hadn't killed the demon in the restaurant... our team would have suffered losses..."
In recognition of your contribution, I thank you as the commander of the Nordruva Company and present you with these ten gold coins as a reward.
I extend an invitation to you; would you be willing to join the Nordruva Company?
We are about to leave Laghettia for Ronan, and everyone will welcome a new member if you wish.
Tenor was initially tempted, but upon hearing that it was to Ronan, he immediately abandoned the idea—that was the stronghold of the Emerald Order.
"Lord Reginald, although the time I spent with you was short, it was the happiest time of my life."
Thank you for the invitation, but I'm not planning to join the adventure team... nor do I intend to leave Lagedia for the time being. He paused briefly, then adopted a more relaxed tone:
"I might change my mind later."
Reginald forced a smile. "Then, next time you return to Lagetia, if Lord Tenor is still here, you must come and catch up with him."
"I hope you've come with a clue about the sublimation reagent." Ternor needs the fourth-order reagent, but at present it's like looking for a needle in a haystack; he can only take it one step at a time.
“Of course,” Reginald suggested. “I’ll keep an eye out for you. You can also ask around at the Black Rose Tavern in the Flower District. It only accepts guests after midnight and only caters to customers like us.”
It sounds like a gathering place for adventurers; perhaps there will be the clues Tenor needs there.
During the conversation, he picked up the money bag and left the castle with the adventure team, parting ways in the bustling city.
The warm sun cuts through the honey-colored streets of Laghettia, where the aromas of spices, roasted wheat, and sea salt mingle and rise, while the bells of donkeys carrying goods, the clamor of merchants, and the sounds of lyre never cease.
Amidst the sea of people, the lone Ternor felt momentarily disoriented.
When one senses the malicious gaze lurking in the shadows, when a soft yet malevolent voice, almost a whisper, appears, the melancholy of man is quickly replaced by Thoreau's purified fervor.
"You're all alone, you cold-blooded creature." The voice came close to his ear, but there was no one around who seemed suspicious.
Tenor recognized him as the "messenger of the gods" from the Emerald Order, a stray dog whose body had been smashed to pieces.
He stared at the data stream in front of him.
[Mission: Expel the Emerald Order's 'Divine Messenger' from the physical universe]
Difficulty: Medium
[Reward: Shadow Cloak]
[Status: In Progress]
This cloak allows Tenor to conceal himself in dim light, and most importantly—as a magical item, it won't burst when he transforms, but rather adjusts its size according to his body shape.
Although Tenor doesn't care about saving face, it's still good that she can avoid the trouble of running around naked and save money on new clothes.
He muttered to himself in a cold tone:
"Ah~ the prey came out on its own."
This saves him trouble; today he's going to wipe out the remnants of the Emerald Order in the city!