It had been quite a while, but finally the antiheroes were able to enter the tent of the Legion Commander.
'Sigh... that was something... calm... calm... stay calm, Garett... you can do this... you don't have to slaughter these people... you can figure it out...'
Garett told himself over and over that he would be able to make it through this without slamming anyone's face into a stone wall.
The real reason that he was able to stop himself from doing so, however, was because there was no stone wall available. This very fact alone was what allowed him to endure. Had there been a stone wall, he absolutely would have taken advantage of the opportunity, thus blowing his cover.
He was starting to lose his own self control. This was a problem.
The tent beyond the waiting rooms was glamorous. Even the priority waiting room was nothing special aside from a basic seat and the servants, however the inside of the tent was completely different. The Legion Commander wore a helmet that was made of pure gold, and it was so tall that it looked more like half of an ellipse than a helmet. The dark green mane looked like a giant mohawk, and the commander wore a golden chest-piece with red velvet flaps connected to the waist area. He had an average face, with relatively short and slightly curled to the side black hair, and was reclining on a long red couch eating grapes and being fanned by beautiful female servants wearing long dark green tunic-like dresses.
He eyeballed the antiheroes as they approached. There were four guards on either side of him, and the couch was on an elevated section of the tent so that he could look down on those he was addressing. He was not a tall man, but he also was not extremely short.
The walls and ceiling of the tent were also a dark green fabric with a floral pattern on them, held up by wooden supports- also with swirling patterns on them.
"It seems that we are nearing the end of the day if people like this are able to enter my tent so freely... what is your business here, elves?"
Trevor stood forward, ready to put on a show.
He bent on one knee and spoke with a fanatic tone.
"Legion Commander of the great and mighty Empire, we of the Alliance have come here seeking to be of assistance to your glorious and prestigious country. We wish to be granted permission to act within the walls of this domain as mercenaries, and would be honored to be counted among the ranks of the military."
Now, mercenaries within the Empire had certain duties that regular soldiers did not have, and vice versa. While both of them could be called to fight on the front lines, mercenaries could also stay within the borders of the country acting independently and taking on job requests from the locals, whereas the actual military only took orders directly from above, and didn't spend time on requests. Mercenary work was also optional, and they couldn't be drafted under normal circumstances. Any participation in any form of war was optional on the mercenary's end.
If a mercenary was able to earn the approval of a senator, then they would be subject to promotion. The senators were each assigned a given town within the Empire and ruled it underneath the jurisdiction of the Emperor.
The rankings of mercenaries were equivalent to those of regular soldiers, however there was a distinction in that mercenaries are not officially members of the military. Rather, they are an independent force who are free to do as they wish.
In order to become recognized as a mercenary in the first place though, one had to first obtain the approval of a Legion Commander- someone who had reached the highest position in the military of the Empire.
If one did not and instead went on to do mercenary work without official approval, they would be seen as nothing more than a vigilante- a lawless criminal who would be taken into custody if they were seen doing such requests.
Listernos had explained this to the antiheroes beforehand, and this was why they were here to collect approval.
'It would be best if we didn't have to mind control this guy to get approval as mercenaries... however we will do what is necessary.', Garett thought.
He had successfully managed to suppress his desire to kill someone.
How merciful of him. Garett was proud of himself.
'When did I become like this? I wasn't like this back when I lived on earth... could it be that my hatred for Daniel- no, for people like Daniel- those who use others for their own benefit- has warped me to become like this? Or perhaps being a demon is truly cutting at my mind... maybe even both... well, not that I mind it...*grins and laughs on the inside*'
While remaining in a relaxed position, the Legion Commander looked somewhat interested in Trevor's proposal.
"You elves wish to perform work under the Empire?"
"But of course! We have realized the greatness of this nation, and wish to further delve into any opportunity to remain here and serve this country."
Trevor was of course lying through his teeth to please the Legion Commander. It was something he was very used to doing.
"Very interesting... I never thought in my that I would meet a group of elves who listen to reason so much as yourselves, instead of shutting themselves off from the human world. Perhaps you four are different from the others who have showed up as mercenaries... perhaps you four are able to appreciate true greatness."
The Legion Commander stood up from his seat and put out his arms.
"Very well then! I welcome this change of pace! If only all elves could come to see things as you four do! Perhaps then the Empire would be able to show its true glory... and take over the monster realm!!!"
"Take over the monster realm, you said?", Trevor asked calmly.
"But of course!!! It is every Empire man's dream.... to rid humanity of those wretched threats beyond the walls... to drive the monster kings from their very thrones... to remove any possibility of vile and inferior beings taking over the world. The Empire is the line of defense for humanity, elves, and dwarves alike!!! If we did not exist, then the monsters would flow into society causing chaos and havoc!!! This is why it should be the goal of all countries to assist the Empire. I respect your commitments to that which is truly important."
He gave his speech with flowing gestures and excitement, preaching about the evils of the monster realm and the heroic feats of the Empire and the border patrol unit which he led. He went on and on for about 2 chapters worth of content before finally being content.
'This guy... is he bored or something? It seems like he just wants someone to talk to...', Ashley thought.
'No wonder each meeting took so long...'
Finally, the result was that the antiheroes were able to become officially recognized as mercenaries.
They were given pins with a light blue ribbon connected to them.
"These represent your rank- and recognizing you all as worthy, I have made the decision to start you all off as corporals. I expect to hear about your endeavors through the grapevine. Do this country proud, soldiers."
With that, the antiheroes were sent off.
'What a strange man', Trevor thought.
'But we should be careful of him... he seems too fanatic...'
"If he ever comes to the dictatorship we will likely have to wipe him and his army out. The people of the Empire seem to have too much hatred for monsters to negotiate with.", Garett stated coldly.
"Yeah. I don't trust him.", Samantha chimed in.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that.", Trevor stated. However, he had a bad feeling.
"Legion Commander Tirius..."
----
Kyle spent the next few days after leaving the brothel- a little bit over a week- working as an errand boy for Ethan and the other two apprentices.
It was not because they were looking down on him or throwing all the work to the rookie. It was simply that he had to start with the simple tasks- handing the tools to the working smith and so on and so forth before he was accustomed with the area and techniques so that he would know what he was doing.
Eventually, he knew where all the tools were and exactly what to use them for. He was slowly learning and becoming more knowledgeable.
'This is great... I have great roommates, a great teacher, and I am making progress. The day where I am able to send my mother's their first paycheck is not far off!'
Martin had remained distant at first, and Ralph seemed skeptical of Kyle, but they eventually came around to be good friends. After just a few days, they were joking and laughing with each other like a group of high school boys.
"And then, get this Kyle- my father told the man 'If you don't have money, then I don't have time!', and he just up and left!"
"Hahaha..."
Kyle never really understood Martin's merchant stories, but he pretended like he knew what he was talking about.
"Kyle! You've been doing great so far. I might be able to move you up to the next level soon enough... perhaps I should let you try out the forge!"
Ethan was a great mentor. He was practical, cared about his students, and took care to explain things.
He also took his time with his work and ensured that it was the best quality.
"Yo, Kyle. You wanna head out for a drink tonight? It's on me."
Ralph was a cheeky kid who liked getting into trouble, but he was serious when it mattered. He had already forged a few knives at this point, and took his work very seriously- and they were pretty well made for an amateur.
"I guess so."
Kyle would never dare spend his own money on himself, but if Ralph was offering he saw no reason to decline. On the contrary, that would be rude... at least Kyle thought.
"If a man ever gives you a little extra money snatch it up before he can take it back" was something that Naomi would say.
He reminisced about the people who raised him as he headed to the bar with Ralph.
Irene- the woman who owned the brothel. Being in her early 40s, she was kind and motherly, and cared for not only Kyle but all the women and even the customers as if they were her own children.
Olivia- One of the most popular women working in the brothel- in her early 30s. She was Ethan's favorite, and she always knew just the right thing to say to people to keep them in a good mood. She would often give Kyle tips on how to speak with different types of people to butter them up, but these things usually went over Kyle's head. He tried to remember back to what she said, now that he was a member of society and understood other people a bit better, and wanted to apply her advice.
Julia- Aside from her main job, she loved art and was always found expressing her creativity through painting. Some days Kyle would clean the room she was in and watch her paint, and she would go on long philosophical talks about the misinterpretations of the meaning behind her art. Many noble customers would purchase them, as purchasing a piece which looked expensive would apparently make it seem like they had more financial power.
"I just sorta put a few blotches of paint here and there, and one noble saw it and started going on about the complexity behind the colors and the meaning behind the shapes... something about world peace or something? Well, he bought it for a hefty price, so I'm not complaining.", was something Julia once told Kyle while showing her a few pieces of art that looked like they could be drawn by a six year old.
Naomi- A younger girl in her early 20s who was taken in by Irene after losing her parents. Instead of falling into despair she simply focused on making money- as much as she could wherever she could. She taught Kyle a thing or two about deceiving people to get that extra penny.
Katelyn- A former noble who was kicked out of her home due to her unwillingness to marry. She had a passion for music and would often be found playing her harp to the men who requested her. Kyle too would often relax while listening to her play.
Jordan- A preppy woman who seemed to always have something good to say. She was continuously encouraging Kyle and the other women- particularly when they were down on their luck. She also had a bad habit of hanging around bars and gambling off her money, always saying things like "I've lost 6 times in a row so I have to win the next one!! I'm all in!", only to lose everything the next round.
Riley- A sinister and secretive woman who was not popular among the customers due to her menacing looks. She was a beauty, but she was so beautiful that it was creepy, as if she was staring into your very soul. Only the bravest of men would request her- or those with nothing to lose. She often told Kyle things like 'You have to wring out people like a rag... dig up whatever dirt you can find, and make sure they always know that the second they cross you that they will regret it...'
Riley had told Kyle a lot of stories from her dark past, and Kyle often was saddened when he thought of all the troubles she went through, however she seemed to laugh quietly to herself in a way that would strike fear into even the bravest of warriors. Seeing this demented nature of hers furthered his desire to change people and their opinions, so that such tragedies wouldn't happen.
Kyle walked to the bar in style while reminiscing the memories and lessons he learned from each of them. They were all so vastly different, and they all had such diverging views on things- yet despite this they all worked together as a big family and always managed to be there for each other and pull through, no matter how tough things got.
Kyle too wanted to be there for them as well.
"Tomorrow I make my first dagger... with the money, I will assist my mothers!"
"That's the spirit, Kyle! I don't really get this whole mothers thing, but lets throw a drink over it!"