He had actually considered becoming an Adventurer when he first reincarnated into this world, but his first look at one of the monsters beyond Tal'Qamar's walls put that ambition to rest. Hudson's really didn't want to die in some ditch somewhere while a nasty critter slowly ate him.
Adventurers were almost universally higher level than most people their age, and some of the most powerful individuals in the world were adventurers, but they also had an absurdly high fatality rate.
"Which of these do you think is most likely to still be around a few years from now?" Hudson's asked bluntly, showing the parchments to Rizok. "I'm hoping for a partnership that will last a while, so it'd be better if I could avoid the ones likely to get themselves killed."
The woman winced at his indelicate statement, but Rizok merely hummed thoughtfully and leaned forward. "That would depend on their mission objectives, sir."
"I'll mostly be hiring them to capture live monsters for… study," Hudson's said hesitantly. "Among other things."
He needed to be able to offer more than just scales and claws with his [Permanent Flesh Manipulation], and that would require him to look at a wide variety of biology. Given that he was a veterinarian in his past life, he would probably learn a lot more studying creatures that resembled animals.
Aside from that, having a group of capable adventurers under his employ that he could hire for various tasks would be important for his plans to establish his Cult.
"In that case, I would recommend against the Dusk Hunters, sir," said Rizok after a moment of consideration. "Their Classes aren't well suited for capture-retrieval missions, and they've ranked up too quickly. I've seen too many fresh recruits die due to impatience, and these people seem likely to do the same. A balanced squad that consolidates their strength and takes the time to consider risks is more likely to survive."
Hudson's nodded in agreement. The Dusk Hunters were a Gold ranked team, which meant that they would cost more money anyway. The budget given to him by General Nasrith wasn't exactly unlimited. "That sounds reasonable. Then we're left with the Silver Serpents and the Pathfinders. Which of these would you choose?"
Hudson's could tell that Rizok was growing more comfortable as he considered the question. He was starting to get the feeling that the lizardkin only knew how to be a soldier and was uncomfortable with things unrelated to that.
Rizok's eyes moved quickly between the two parchments before settling on one. "The Pathfinders, sir. While the Silver Serpents have local knowledge, the Pathfinders have successfully completed tasks that should be beyond their levels. That shows a degree of strategic acumen rare in lower-ranked adventurers. They would be a skilled squad for the acquisition of valuable assets."
Hudson's thought over Rizok's reasoning and couldn't find any faults. Besides, he could always check out the other groups if the Pathfinders didn't work out.
"You've convinced me, Rizok," Hudson's decided, handing the documents back to the clerk.
"Very well, I'll arrange a meeting for you," the clerk responded. She quickly wrote down a note and handed it to a young boy, most likely a trainee hoping to earn the [Clerk] Class, who quickly scampered off.
Hudson's went to take a seat at one of the long tables while he waited. The clerk had given him more documents related to the Pathfinders, so he decided to spend his time reading about them. They were a four person group, all of them around the same age as him aside from the shivarath leader. Hudson's couldn't help but feel a bit envious when he saw their approximate Levels, all higher than his own.
Adventurers are really crazy… I have a lot of catching up to do once my Cult gets going.
Hudson's found himself lost in his thoughts as he considered his plans for the future and was only brought out of them when Rizok cleared his throat. "Sir, the adventurers have arrived."
He looked up to see four individuals approaching their table. The most striking among them was the middle-aged shivarath [Blademaster] who was their leader, Kajal. Standing at little under seven-feet-tall, his silver eyes shone with a sharp intelligence and he moved with a grace that made it clear he knew how to use the many blades hanging around his waist.
Hudson's had never actually spoken to a shivarath before, although he had seen a few in the market. They weren't native to the continent of Valandor, where Tal'Qamar was located, so it wasn't common to see them here. They were long-lived species known for their six arms, height, and skill in combat. With his silver-gray skin and multiple muscular arms, Kajal was rather intimidating up close.
The other three were races that Hudson's was much more familiar with. Tilda was a dwarf [Elemental Mage] wearing robes carrying the insignia of some mage school Hudson's had never heard of. The dwarves were a people who were fairly common in the neighboring empire of Eldamir, so he had spoken to many of them.
Casper was a human [Scout], although one likely also from Eldamir given that he had short blond hair and a complexion that was much lighter than any human native to the Qahtani Desert. He was the only one in their group younger than Hudson's and smiled brightly with a friendly expression.
The last of them was Sefirah, a lizardkin [Beast Tamer] who would undoubtedly prove invaluable for live capture missions. Lizardkin were native to the desert in which Tal'Qamar was located, but Hudson's had a feeling that she was most likely from Fal'Ashar or one of the other nearby oasis settlements. Something about her just didn't seem like a native to him.
"Are you the one who wished to meet us?" Kajal asked in a low rumbling voice as he and the rest of his team took seats at the table. "I was told that you wish to negotiate a long-term partnership with us."
"That's right," Hudson's confirmed, giving them a friendly smile. "My name is Hudson's, and I was hoping to employ you for some unconventional missions."