Glan Natural Science Academy

The western entrance of the Glan Natural Sciences Academy was a carriage company.

The Academy was a place where the Glan Principality’s nobles gathered. And so, with sufficient money, the services provided weren’t only limited to horses but also low class proteuses which were faster.

Moreover, to accommodate the special needs of the high spending scholars, big businesses even developed the service of flying proteuses and blimps for long distance travels. Of course, the corresponding price wasn’t something that normal people can afford.

Ryger raised his head and looked at the blimp flying far in the sky, thinking of the beautiful scenery of overlooking the ground from a blimp and longing for it.

Ryger came to a business called Tel’s Travels and saw a 20-something scrawny boy wearing a gray, rough linen shirt.

The observant Bobby noticed this magician, who was wearing a black robe, stopping in front of him and instantly that business had come. He hurriedly put away the feed in his hands and greeted him with a smile.

“Esteemed sir magician, where would you like to go?”

Ryger looked at the solicitous boy who was of nearly the same age in front of him. How similar this boy was to his own self who grovelled to the pastor to have pity on him a few months ago at Agate Lake’s church.

“Knowledge changes fate.”

Unintentionally, Ryger’s heart grew even more resolute in his path of seeking knowledge. “I want to go to the mercenary association.”

“Alrighty! To the mercenary association, we have 2 prices here – 2 silver coins and 3. The fast one will take 2 hours while the slower one will take about 3 hours. Which would you like?”

When he heard the price, Ryger’s heart bled.

Pretending to not care, Ryger calmly said, “The 3 hours one then. To take a breather.”

“A cheap-ass magician. Looks like I’m not getting many tips this time”, groaned Bobby inwardly. But outwardly, his enthusiasm was unabated. “Alrighty. Please wait a moment. I’ll go hitch the horses right now.”

 

Some time later.

Ryger sat on the carriage, which, through Bobby’s skilled handling, headed towards St Glan Castle’s mercenary association.

Inside the car.

Ryger took out the books he borrowed from the library. Because of the Church, even in a library as big as the Glan Natural Sciences Academy’s, the number of books that was related to astronomy was depressingly low. And all of those books were wild guesstimations of low-level scholars.

But even so, Ryger read them seriously, beginning his initial recognition towards astronomy.

After about 3 hours, Bobby’s voice came.

“Esteemed sir magician, we’ve reached the mercenary association!”

 The sound of people outside was deafening. Ryger tidied up his appearance then left the carriage. He looked at the majestic red building in the distance. It was like a slumbering ancient beast, its ferocious aura assaulting all.

Howl!

Countless mercenaries walked through, exuding an aura of blood and steel, adventure and wealth. Gigantic proteus mounts walked thunderously and roaring sounds rose one after another. Other mercenaries looked over, vowed that their mercenary squads would one day grow and develop, then continued walking on in laughter, bragging about their harrowing experiences.

“Sir, you’ll have to walk over yourself. Those proteuses’ aura are too strong. The carriage can’t go over there.”

Ryger came out of his daze then glanced at the restless horse before nodding at Bobby. He handed over 2 silver coins then jumped off the carriage and went to the mercenary association’s lobby.

“Cheap-ass.”

Said Bobby as he felt the silver coins, shaking his head because he didn’t get the tip that he desired. He rode the carriage back.

Ryger looked left and right, and observed the mercenaries in front of the mercenary association’s lobby.

There were a few formal mercenary squads waiting outside, apparently waiting for their leader to take on a mission in the lobby. They were talking to each other quietly.

Compared to them, the vast amount of lone mercenaries was more lazed. They sat wherever and chatted with nearby people that they knew.

There were a few Elves, half-Elves and Dwarves among the crowd.

Ryger looked at a bearded dwarf not far away and couldn’t help but be marveled. This was a fellow that was unbelievably robust. Only one 1 metres tall, but shockingly sturdy. His legs were very short and his arms were almost thicker than his legs. The dwarf was leaning on a woolly mammoth and didn’t worry that this mammoth would accidentally step on him. The dwarf was surrounded by 2 large axes which were almost as tall as him.

Gulp, gulp, amaaaa…

After his beard was stained with wine, the dwarf then ate a drumstick. His appetite was indeed something.

Apparently because he was a magician, the surrounding people would let way slightly wherever Ryger went. Soon, Ryger came to the entrance of the mercenary association’s lobby.

As Ryger went in, a barbarian male who was holding a black axe came out. Holding a contract scroll made of hide, the barbarian yelled at the entrance, “Dashing Axes are recruiting 5 temporary teammates. Those who pass the test will be an official member!”

The lone mercenaries at the lobby’s entrance stood up and went over.

Ryger walked into the lobby. The protector at the entrance who was in charge of security scanned Ryger and didn’t interrogate him as he would to other people.

Countless people were inside. Missions of all classes were hung on the marble wall. But most of them were D-Class missions which were about escorting merchants, finding certain low-level specimens, killing a specified proteus specimen and so on. Usually, they require a lot of people’s cooperation.

Curious, Ryger looked at the highest up S-class mission scroll.

S-Class missions:

Find clues regarding the ancient Gu Lan civilisations’ ruins in the Furnace Dessert.

Mission reward: 7.5 million gold coins or equivalent energy crystals, plus 100 grammes of star crystals

“Um. A mission from the Royal Committee on Fellowship?” speculated Ryger. “Finding ruins of the ancient Gu Lan civilization… a dream of almost all scholars. Also, this disappeared ancient civilization is almost mentioned in《Self Control》…”

Ryger shook his head and looked at other S-class missions.

S-class mission:

Find the complete remains of Death Valley’s prehistoric remains.

Mission reward: 6 million gold coins or equivalent energy crystals, plus the lifetime position of elder of the St Glan Castle Coliseum and one netherworld bird mount.

……

 

Later, Ryger went to the counter for issuing missions.

The girl that greeted him was a sweet 20 something blonde with large lips and eyes that were like blue amber. She looked at Ryger then made a sweet smile.

“Esteemed Mr magician, how can I help you?”

Later, Ryger paid the silver coins, took the mission scroll, and after confirming there were no errors, left.

Lone mercenaries that didn’t join any mercenary squads were called E-class mercenaries. Although these mercenaries also pay some guarantor fee to guarantee the effectiveness of the mission contract, but when compared to formal mercenary squads, their ability would definitely be much lower. And there were cases where they would betray their employer when things get dangerous.

Fortunately, Ryger’s trip out this time was not dangerous.