"I will join."
Hearing this word stuns the boy, his eyes widen. He didn't think that anyone would join the team, let alone a mage and at much of tier 3.
Mage is given prestige in society since a mage can use the skill of every class. Let it be warrior, swordsman, assassin, or other things. Mage only does not have the physical ability, skill is their best hold.
A mage can save the lives of others and take them also. That's why they are feared and are labeled as the prestigious class.
Also, their physical ability is enhanced by the skill. Under all the classes' mana, the mages have the purest and strongest mana.
"A-Are you sure?"
The boy came back to his sense and looked at Allen with eyes full of doubts.
'Is he really going to join?'
The boy thought, but he looked at Allen and realized he hadn't seen him in the mercenary hall previously. So, either he may be a recruit or may have transferred here. But Allen's age was young, so he could be a recruit.
'Maybe he doesn't know about us.' The boy thought and smiled drily.
"Brother, what are your class and tier?" The boy asked politely.
"Tier 3 mage," Allen said indifferently.
Hearing Allen's statement shocked the boy. Sweat formed on his forehead, but he quickly calmed down.
"Are you new here?"
The boy asked. Mages rarely participate in mercenary activities. Unlike other classes, even the lowest academy that teaches magic is supported by a big family.
Let alone tier 3, even tier 1 mages are treated well. While money may be a problem, food and shelter, and a job in the future is guaranteed by the academy.
So, rarely do mages come into the mercenary. But if you have the ability, the academy itself takes mages into the forest to hunt. The money that came from there is divided among students. Rich student and teacher don't care about money, so all the money are given to poor students.
'Why did he come here?' The boy blinked his eye but sighed. It wasn't his business to inquire anyway.
'Oh well, who cares about the reason anyway.'
"Yes," Allen replied to the boy who was lost in his thought.
The boy jumped back hearing the reply. He took a deep breath and was going to talk but...
"Hey, kid. Have you recruited the mage?" A rough voice sounded in the hall.
A bald man with a creepy smile that makes you want to punch him entered with another man following him.
He had a long sword hanging on his back while another man had a two ax behind him. While one looked like a mountain bandit, another looked like a person who should work at a government office. The man followed the bald man with a dark circle in his eye, and he looked like a serious person, the kind you would find in an overworking company, or much clearly known as a black company.
The boy shrank down, his smiling face turned grim. Unlike before, he looked like a different person. His eyes narrowed down, and his head lowered like it was his habit. He looked like a child bullied by an adult. The kind you know, where adult throws all the small work from sending to buy cigarettes to whiskey and do all sort of simple task, the child looked like one.
"Y-yes..." The boy answered in a low voice. His enthusiasm has gone down to zero.
"This is the gentleman who is going to join us." The boy pointed to Allen. He gulped down his saliva and continued. "He is a tier 3 mage, a new mercenary. He joined...uhhh..."
"Recently. I only joined a few minutes ago." Allen filled in the words that the boys didn't know.
"Ohh." The bald man smiled playfully. His eyes showed some surprise, but he calmed down.
"I-I will introduce you to the boss of this team. H-He is...."
Before the boy was going to introduce the bald man, the man patted his head roughly and examined Allen.
"I am Ackerley. A tier 5 warrior. The lad beside me is Donyoku. He is a tier 4 swordsman."
"Hello. I am Allen, a tier 3 mage. And this boy..." Allen pointed at the boy who is lowering his head like a servant.
"I am... Raul. I am only 12 years old. I have to check my class in the Academy Class Examination event."
The boy answered softly fearing the bald man. Allen ignored his problem. It wasn't like it was his business. He didn't feel sorry for his decision to follow this guy.
Allen's attention diverted to the Academy Class Examination. It was an event that is famous all over the city and town.
This is a yearly event that lasts for a month. All the academies of different places hold a ceremony that examines a child's class.
A person only gets a class after they reach 12 years old. If they don't have any class, they will automatically be labeled as a farmer or lackey. But they are rare, one in a million only turns out with no class.
His two brothers are also going to check their classes at this event. One couldn't know their class automatically, it is like an awakening process, but the class is already inside the person and it is only revealed to the outside world.
After the class process, all the academies recruit these children.
Presently, Allen shook his hand with Ackerley. They both smiled like businessmen.
"Welcome to the team."
"Yeah. Glad to join you."
***********