"First of all, it's reputation. It's okay if your ability is mediocre, but your reputation must be good."
After standing there and thinking for a while, Athir looked at Kalu and said, "Also, I'm going to the ancient armor city in the north this time. I need you to find me some guides who are familiar with the place. Is that a problem?"
"No problem. There are many people who meet these conditions." Kalu nodded, and then continued to ask: "Then in addition to a good reputation, do you have any requirements in terms of numbers?"
"I need about fifty guards, plus three guides. As the price of hiring these people, I am willing to pay them one gold coin per month. How about that?"
"This price is very fair." After listening to Athir's words, Kalu nodded.
"But I have to remind you that although Gukai City is a big city, it is very backward. There are savages and orcs everywhere in the wild. There may be a war at any time. It is not suitable for setting up business."
Looking at Athir's appearance, Kalu couldn't help but remind him.
"It's okay. I have some connections there. It shouldn't be a problem."
In response to this reminder, Athir smiled and explained slowly.
Hearing this, Kalu stopped talking and said directly: "Okay, if you don't mind, you can come back tomorrow at noon. I need some time to notify those mercenaries."
"Okay." Athir nodded, then took out two gold coins from his pocket: "This is your introduction fee. If the person you find tomorrow satisfies me, I don't mind giving you more."
"Haha, thank you very much!" After taking the gold coins, Kalu's eyes lit up: "With these, I can buy more ore!"
After doing all this, Athir turned around and left.
The next day.
At noon, when Athir arrived at the weapons store, he found that there were already quite a few people standing outside.
These people were dressed differently, some wore torn leather armor, some wore leather, and some only wore dirty hunting clothes, looking a little miserable.
However, despite this, these people have good physiques and look very strong.
"Are these the guards you found for me?"
Walking into the weapon shop and looking at the people standing outside, Athir frowned and said, "The equipment is too poor."
"Haha, don't underestimate these people because they are poorly equipped. They are not necessarily weak." Standing in place, Kalu pointed at the people standing outside and said, "They are basically retired veterans who have fought against orcs before. They are all very capable."
"Besides, I picked these people specifically for you. They are reputable, so you can feel more at ease using them."
After hearing this, Athir nodded.
"Let them send a few representatives in." He looked at the people standing outside and couldn't help but speak.
In response, Kalu nodded readily and strode out.
Not long after, he walked in again, followed by three people.
A tall blond man, a sturdy middle-aged man with a ruddy complexion, and an ordinary-looking middle-aged man wearing thick leather armor.
As soon as these three people walked in, there was an aura of veterans that was different from ordinary people, which made Athir nod secretly.
"What are your names?" he asked.
"My name is Gru." The blond man spoke first, his eyes looking bright.
"You can call me Axel, sir." The sturdy middle-aged man with a ruddy face pounded his chest and said in a loud voice.
"Elder." The man finally spoke, seeming a little taciturn.
Listening to their words, Athir stood where he was and glanced at them casually.
"Name: Gru. Strength: 1.4. Agility: 1.2. Constitution: 1.4."
"Name: Ax. Strength: 1.3. Agility: 1.3. Constitution: 1.5."
The physical data of the two people flashed before my eyes.
Looking at the physical data, Atier nodded secretly, and then looked at the last person.
"Name: Elder. Strength: 1.8. Agility: 1.7. Constitution: 2."
"Eh..." Looking at the data, Athir turned his gaze to Elder who seemed very silent: "Are you a knight's apprentice?"
Hearing what Athir said, Ald was stunned and asked subconsciously: "How do you know..."
After saying this, he finally reacted. Looking at the looks people around him were giving him, he couldn't help but shut his mouth and returned to his previous silent self.
Seeing him like this, Athir thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Very good."
"I'll accept you guys." He smiled, and then pointed at the three of them: "You three are representatives, so you will be the team leaders, five gold coins per month, is there a problem?"
Hearing this, the three of them were stunned by the generous conditions at first, and then nodded quickly.
The three of them were representatives selected from outside mercenaries. They already had a certain prestige among that group of people, so it was not a problem for them to be a team leader.
The income of five gold coins was also something they could not refuse. Even if they accepted this kind of escort mission, their monthly income was less than one gold coin. The income of five gold coins was enough for their family to live for a year.
Looking at the reactions of the three of them, Athir nodded and pointed at Eld standing aside: "You will be the captain of this escort team, and you will get ten gold coins every month."
Suddenly, joy appeared in the other party's eyes, and he seemed extremely satisfied with the income.
Looking at the joy in the other person's eyes, Atier was speechless.
A normal knight apprentice is usually from a noble family. Even if their family fell into decline, it is impossible for them to be so happy over the price of just ten gold coins.
"It looks like a commoner who somehow learned the Knight's Breathing Technique."
Looking at the other party like this, Atier shook his head secretly and thought to himself.
After choosing the guard, you can be much more free in choosing the guide.
Among the seven or eight candidates, Atier randomly selected three who looked calm and experienced as his guides this time.
After a few days, the team started to set off.
Athir sat quietly in the carriage. At different places in the team, Elder and the other two led a group of people to guard on the side, and moved forward quietly with the team.
But now, the three of them have changed their equipment. Not only are they riding horses, but they are also wearing brand new leather armor.
These were all equipped for them by Atier. Although he didn't care about the team's combat effectiveness, in order to make the team look better, he still changed the equipment for the three captains.
Of course, these equipments were only loaned to them temporarily. Although Athir was not short of these gold coins, the wizard adhered to the principle of equal exchange, and it was not good to give them for no reason.
Of course, if they perform well during this period, it would be fine to give them this equipment.
The team moved forward slowly.
The Kingdom of Gumodo is not peaceful. Except for the areas around the city, other places in the country are often filled with thieves and robbers, and even some orcs occasionally appear to rob.
Athir's team encountered many enemies on the way, most of whom were not strong in combat and were easily defeated by Elder and his three men.
After a period of understanding, Athir had a rough idea of the origins of Elder and the other two.
Gru and Axe are both veterans. Due to their poor family background, they participated in conscription as soon as they became adults and fought against orcs continuously. Finally, they retired from the army and made a living by farming and working as mercenaries.
As for Eld, as Athir thought, he was not a member of the nobility, but just an ordinary farmer's child. Because when he was young, he accidentally saved a seriously injured nobleman, and in return, he was taught the basic knight's breathing method by the nobleman. In the end, he joined the army and worked part-time as a mercenary after retiring.
All three of them are relatively honest people and have already started families, so they are the type that are relatively easy to control.
···············
A month later, a long team was walking on the wide road.
In front of the team, the shadow of a city loomed in sight, and it seemed to be not far away.
"Lord Athir, in a few hours, we will reach Ancient Armor City!"
Sitting quietly in the carriage, Athir heard Elder's steady voice in his ears.
Hearing the sound, he quietly put down the book in his hand, and then said, "Let the team stop first."
"Elder, Gru, Axl, the three of you come in."
As the order came down, the surrounding teams began to slowly stop, and then three tall figures walked in from outside.
"My Lord, what can I do for you?"
Looking at Athir, Elder was the first to speak among the three.
"We will soon reach Ancient Armor City, and by then, our employment will be over."
Looking at the three people, Athir smiled and said, "I plan to set up some industries here and need some manpower. Are you willing to come over?"
"In exchange, I can settle your families and give you some land and positions, which are much better than being mercenaries."
"This..." After hearing Athir's words, the three of them looked at each other, and they saw the hesitation and intention in each other's eyes.
The life of a mercenary sounds exciting. But only those who have truly experienced this profession know how difficult it is. Not only is it hard, dangerous, and unstable, but the income is low. It is not as colorful as others imagine. You may die outside at any time, and even your body will be eaten by wild beasts.
Through the time they have been spending together, they can feel Athir's character. He does not have the bad habits of some nobles. Instead, he is easy to get along with and they are treated very well.
If Gukai City was not located on the border and surrounded by a large number of orcs, and if war was not possible at any time, they would never hesitate and would agree on the spot.
But after hesitating for a while, they nodded and agreed.
"Very good." Seeing them nod, Athir smiled and said, "As a reward for your loyalty to me, the weapons and equipment you have on you, as well as the horses you have been using during this period, will belong to you from now on."
Hearing this, the three of them immediately showed joy in their eyes.
(End of this chapter)