In the council chamber, at the far end of a heavy oak table, Kaines and Randell sat side by side. Randell's broad face flushed red with anger, thick brows furrowed, knuckles drumming a dull rhythm on the armrest. Beside him, Kaines presented a stark contrast, mouth corners holding an inscrutable smile as if the brewing storm were merely an amusing drama.
Adeline, Tony, Angus, and the elf Iraya occupied chairs along both sides. The air hung stagnant. Only Iraya maintained an elfin expression of serene detachment while Adeline remained ice-sculpture impassive. Tony and Angus hung their heads, gazes fixed on the worn table surface.
Arthur hid behind Adeline's tall figure like a wary small beast, gaze darting swiftly between the mercenary company's core figures, catching every tensed muscle and suppressed breath.
"Tony!" Randell's roar thundered first like lightning. "Did you start this again?"
Tony's neck contracted sharply, nearly bouncing from his chair. "Heaven and earth witness! I only exchanged words with that bastard Cristy! It was Arthur," he gestured frantically toward Adeline's back, "he charged forward first! Really not my fault!"
Adeline's icy gaze carved toward Tony like a blade. Even nearby Angus dragged his chair with a deliberate screech, creating distance.
Randell squeezed a cold laugh through his nostrils. "You think I'm blind and deaf? Without you fanning flames behind the scenes, would Cristy bother with a half-grown child?" His voice remained quiet yet carried unquestionable authority. "Your last mission commission—half deducted. One month confinement within headquarters."
"Injustice!" Tony wailed with genuine tears. "Really wasn't me! Angus can testify! Angus, say something!"
Angus slowly spread his hands with innocent expression: "Me then? Already drunk senseless—saw nothing, heard nothing."
"Angus! You disloyal bastard!" Tony roared while lunging forward, but Randell's nearly flame-spitting eyes swept over him. Like struck by invisible whips, he deflated instantly, sullenly shrinking back into his chair with only unwilling gasps remaining.
"Arthur!" Randell's fury instantly shifted, voice deep yet more oppressive. "Stand forward!" The youth tensed completely, emerging from behind Adeline with lowered head, staring at his worn boot tips. "I truly underestimated you! Daring to challenge Cristy? Plenty of ways to seek death without dragging the entire company to burial!" Randell's voice carried ice-cold edges. "Remember—you're not yet one of us! I can throw you out anytime!"
Arthur's lips pressed white, remaining silent.
"Three months' pay deducted. Three months confinement without my permission to leave headquarters." Randell waved impatiently as if shooing an annoying fly. "Now get out."
That was it? Three silver coins? Was this punishment or... protection? In the council chamber, everyone except Kaines focused uncertain gazes on Randell, air thick with unspoken questions.
"Thank you, Uncle Randell." Arthur bowed deeply, moving fast as a startled rabbit before rushing from the oppressive hall.
Kaines watched the youth's disappearing figure, his mysterious smile deepening. "Old friend," he turned toward Randell, voice carrying all-knowing understanding, "now you admit he's this expedition's greatest prize, right?"
"Boss..." Tony immediately adopted a fawning expression, attempting to approach Kaines.
"Get lost!" Kaines and Randell's synchronized roar struck like twin thunderclaps, instantly shattering Tony's smile.
...
From this day forward, the mercenary company called The Azure Rose Company on Eldendor continent truly became Arthur's refuge. A world suffused with iron, blood, contracts, and blade-edges slowly unfurled its rough yet authentic tapestry before him.
This vast continent had never known true peace. Countless races stood upon the earth while friction and warfare spread like stubborn weeds along endless borderlines. Deep forests and boundless wilderness served as playgrounds for powerful magical beasts, blocking intelligent beings' footsteps. Vicious bandit gangs prowled like greedy hyenas between settlements, their shadows of plunder and slaughter ever-present.
Kingdom armies served as urban shields yet could never cover every inch of territory. Thus mercenary companies—these armed forces operating beyond military structure—became indispensable swords. For sufficient payment, from escorting merchant caravans and protecting dignitaries to hunting magical beasts, seeking treasures, even joining inter-kingdom warfare, mercenaries accepted diverse commissions, trading lives for survival and glory.
Yet mercenaries were not merely profit-driven desperados. They maintained their own iron codes and pride. "Protection," "Trust," "Courage"—these three qualities forged like refined steel in furnaces supported the entire mercenary world's backbone.
Protection meant responsibility. Once contracts formed, mercenaries' lives bound tightly to employers' safety and cargo integrity. Though blood might stain desert sands, oaths could never be abandoned lightly.
Trust meant life itself. On battlefields, backs could only be entrusted to comrades. Blocking arrows aimed at brothers became bone-deep conviction lasting until death.
Courage meant resolve. Walking blade-edges and dancing with death, cowards faced inevitable elimination. Only those confronting fear earned respect in this blood-stained profession.
Eldendor's mercenary companies ranged from lowliest G-rank to supremely elite S-rank across eight tiers. Legend spoke of ranks beyond S-rank—X-rank "Divine Mercenary Companies" existing only in bards' tales. Correspondingly, individual mercenaries followed this rigid hierarchical ladder, with legendary X-rank mercenaries viewed as warriors accepting divine commissions and executing godly will.
The Azure Rose Company, one of Valorhaven's three great mercenary companies, held B-rank status. With only a hundred-plus members, it numbered fewest among the three. Yet its strength ranked supreme. First and second-tier warriors sufficed as mainstays in other companies, but in Azure Rose Company, third-tier warriors merely met minimum entry standards.
Captain Kaines stood as one of Valorhaven's only two eighth-tier Warmarshal powerhouses. The other was garrison division commander Kontor, who rarely involved himself in non-military disputes. This explained why Cristy, despite suffering unprecedented humiliation, never dared provoke direct confrontation—Kaines' very existence served as suffocating deterrent.
The company's two deputy leaders were Adeline and Randell. Adeline commanded as a sixth-tier fire mage wielding violent flames. Randell had once been a powerful warrior, but his severed arm made accurately measuring his concealed, terrifying combat effectiveness impossible.
Rogue Tony, hunter Angus, archer Iraya—these three fifth-tier Warcaptains formed the company's backbone, alternately leading routine commission teams.
Within the company, Randell held special status. Mercenaries privately agreed that this one-armed deputy truly controlled Azure Rose Company's daily lifelines. Beyond accepting and distributing core missions, from financial management to logistics supply, all complex affairs fell under his sole administration. His volcanic temper that could erupt anytime made everyone cautious about crossing him. Even Captain Kaines consulted him with notably negotiating tones.
As Randell's assistant, time gradually peeled away that irascible exterior, revealing inner truth to Arthur. Randell never treated him as servant. Menial tasks like room cleaning he handled personally. His initial assignment for Arthur was surprisingly literacy instruction. Subsequently came organizing the intimidatingly vast storehouse.
Arthur possessed intelligence far exceeding his years. What Randell taught, he learned swiftly. Viewing his mercenary company residence as life's precious opportunity, he voluntarily shouldered various tasks for Randell and other mercenaries.
At dawn's first light, before Randell awakened, warm washing water waited quietly in the outer room. When he opened his door, the entire courtyard had been swept spotless. Within a month, Arthur could accurately and swiftly locate any item within the maze-like complex storehouse. By the second month, Randell discovered himself calling "Arthur's" name with increasing frequency. By the third month's end, often Randell need only begin speaking—or merely shift his gaze—and Arthur had already steadily delivered what he needed.
Change subtly permeated the entire mercenary company. First, Randell's signature roaring decreased notably while his perpetually grim fat face occasionally showed unprecedented smiles. Second, regardless of retrieval timing, storehouse weapons and armor gleamed spotlessly clean. For the company's petty troubles—find that boy called Arthur, he always managed solutions.
Unconsciously, this silent and diligent youth won nearly everyone's affection within the mercenary company. His good days seemed to have arrived. However, on this continent where rules were written in swords and blood, Arthur Canterlore's true trials were only beginning to reveal their sinister outlines in the shadows ahead. The mercenary path was never smooth passage.