It's precisely for this reason that Mission Knights are the most hated and rejected by the mercenaries. The reason is simple: these Mission Knights are always competing for the mercenaries' livelihood. In order to attract the attention of the Lake Fairy, the Mission Knights strive to showcase their "compassionate heart" and "spirit of chivalry." When faced with requests from villagers and lords, they ask for very low rewards, extremely low, and they often complete tasks well, as the demons ordinary mercenaries deal with are too weak for Mission Knights.
This is not inherently bad, but in Laine's previous life words, what Mission Knights do is called "disrupting market order." The existence of these Mission Knights often squeezes the living space of mercenaries. Crafty villagers and lords always take the opportunity to drive down prices, and the mercenaries often have to accept prices much lower than the normal rate and are even complained about as greedy vampires.
"I don't know the specifics." Laine shook his head. "I heard that a Mission Knight from the south entered the deep mountains and did something, and thereafter due to rampant demons, this trade route was abandoned, and that Mission Knight disappeared."
"Hmph! It's definitely those beasts' doing." Billger shook his head and walked away alone.
Laine and Estelle exchanged glances, the Half-Elf shrugged, showing helplessness. It's certain that mercenaries dislike Mission Knights, and since this place has been thoroughly explored, they should retreat.
Riding the horses, Laine initiated the conversation: "Mr. Estelle, you come from the Saint Lorenzo Forest, how much do you know about those Mission Knights?"
"Not much." Estelle also mounted his horse. Compared to the clumsy humans, Estelle embraced the horse's neck, his whole body lightly leaping to sit steadily in the saddle: "I only know the forest doesn't welcome these Mission Knights. Sometimes, to impress their Lady, they even intend to release sealed evil creatures and defeat them."
"This might be the required course that the Lady of the Lake wants these knights to learn." Laine laughed.
It's very normal for Mission Knights to charge little. To embark on the Path of the Holy Grail, one must at least become a Kingdom Knight. These Mission Knights experience absolutely no economic pressure. Laine has seen a Legendary Tier Mission Knight carrying fifty kilograms of food while wearing full armor leisurely strolling in the wild like a normal person. All they do is to attract the Lake Fairy's attention and complete the Holy Grail tasks, so they charge only a symbolic fee for armor maintenance and food expenses, a cost so low that mercenaries simply cannot achieve.
Carrying fifty kilograms of food is actually nothing. Legendary Powerhouses have large appetites, two to three times that of a normal person. When traversing some isolated areas and mountain ranges, not to mention fifty kilograms, Laine has carried nearly a hundred kilograms of food until he spent a lot of money and relied on connections to get a Space Ring from the Jialan Council.
Speaking of this, Laine turned his attention back to the convoy.
"Lady Trovik, your hand cannon is?" Oliver was talking with the female sorcerer, the merchant was very envious of Teresa's hand cannon in her hand, today Teresa was in a good mood, she didn't sit in the carriage but chose to ride a horse.
"It's purchased from the Dwarves at World's Roof Mountain Range in Jialan uniform." Teresa was wearing a brown fur-collared leather jacket today, with a white shirt and scarf underneath, a sea-blue gemstone necklace hung from her swan-like neck. Her long legs clad in tight black leather pants and high-heeled boots attracted many men's gaze in the caravan.
"Oh dear, it's really nice~ I've always wanted such a hand cannon, but couldn't find a way~" Oliver scratched the back of his head, his attitude very humble: "With firearms, the journey is always safer, isn't it?"
"Maybe." Rost was still in his usual attire, the Barbarian's leather armor always emitted a fishy smell: "I still feel these firearms might be useful during sieges, but in field battles, our own weapons are more effective, right?"
"..." The female sorcerer was in a good mood, she didn't argue much with Rost. She had already been adventuring for quite some time, encountering more troubles than expected, and after a dozen days without any result, if not for the many harvests during the journey... In this current state, perhaps it's quite alright.
Seeing the female sorcerer didn't respond, Oliver immediately swallowed the rest of his words. He originally planned to ask if the female sorcerer had any connections to sell him a few, willing to pay a high price.
Dwarf hand cannons are the standard adornment of high society, particularly popular in the Empire. Oliver desperately sought one, but more than that, the Imperial Merchant knew he had no reason to provoke the wrath of a Legendary Mage.
Due to traveling through the forest, the caravan moved at a slow pace. Laine leisurely recited seemingly cryptic words while riding: "Therefore, the mountain doesn't need to be high, it has Lin Zexu, the water doesn't need to be deep, it has Jiangze..."
"How come I've never heard of this saying?" Teresa pulled on the reins, her horse sidled up to Laine and turned her head to look at him.
"...Forget it, it's not important, look, we are about to exit the forest." Laine spread his hands.
Yes, after a whole morning of trekking, the group finally exited the forest. Despite it being mid-winter, the warm sunlight already illuminated the land from the peaks. After leaving the forest, grasslands covered the mountainside. Looking out, the withered yellow grasslands and white ice and snow almost made up the entire mountain scenery, layers of mist filled the valleys, like an ocean.
It's a sea of clouds.
"Truly beautiful." Laine rode on horseback, softly stroking the mane of his horse, Pinecone: "Do you like it?"
"At Celestial Vault Castle, I see this scenery every day." Who knew the female sorcerer didn't appreciate it at all, Laine could only force a laugh upon hearing this. Celestial Vault Castle, the Jialan Council's headquarters, is located on a kilometer-high mountain on the edge of the World's Roof Mountain Range. One can honestly see the sea of clouds every day, nothing particularly remarkable.
"Celestial Vault Castle, what a beautiful place indeed." The Half-Elf interjected, he gently brushed his long hair: "I once dreamed of walking up there alone..."
"Impossible! To trek to Celestial Vault Castle alone, you need to prepare a full set of cold-resistant gear, carry twenty pounds of food per person, and also have fire-making tools and a tent." Laine retorted: "Two years ago, I ascended Celestial Vault Castle alone, carrying over a hundred pounds of gear, walking fifty miles a day, and it took seven days to reach, encountering battles large and small, single-handedly defeating three Ice Giants, countless spiders, Fire Salamanders, ice lizards, bears, and wolves."
Indeed, the path to Celestial Vault Castle is so perilous. This castle situated at the edge of the world offers no other supplies apart from snow water and wild grass; countless fierce beasts lurk, which is why adventurers call this path the "Path of Glory."
It's not that walking this path is honorable, but that the chances of being honored walking this path are high.
"You've been to Celestial Vault Castle?" The female sorcerer became excited, her eyes flickered with light: "I never knew about this."