“T-ten million wid a month…… That is an enormous amount.”
“‘At most’ ten million wid. Considering House Rodban's circumstances, you should expect about half of that.”
“Ah…….”
“How much is the reward for exterminating the goblin settlement?”
“Three million wid, because the mercenary keeps all the byproducts.”
“Then, including his other requests, he earned about thirteen million wid in three days?”
“I…… suppose so?”
“Why would someone like that need to become a vassal of House Rodban?”
“…….”
Gunt gave a faint laugh and patted Rina's head.
“We can talk about it all we like, but the boy will decide. Do not dwell on it. Get back to work.”
“……Yes.”
Rina nodded and returned to the counter.
Mercenaries came in every hour or two.
She served them and spent the rest of the quiet day at work.
The next morning, the Rodban knights arrived at the Mercenary Guild as soon as it was ten.
“You are early.”
“He is a noble, so we should arrive first and wait for him.”
“Right…….”
Rina sat at the counter with an awkward look and sorted the documents.
About thirty minutes later, someone opened the front door and came in.
A black-haired boy wearing a cloak.
He was just under 160 centimeters tall.
'That must be him!'
He went straight to the counter.
“I came for the reward from my last request.”
When the boy handed Rina the request slip, the two knights rose from their seats in the waiting room.
“They brought your reward.”
Rina pointed to the knights with a wry smile.
“……?”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Rud of the House Rodban Knight Order.”
“I am Ripan, also of the House Rodban Knight Order.”
Rud had brown hair and black eyes.
Ripan had dark navy hair and blue eyes.
Both looked to be young men in their late twenties.
Astan's brows twitched as he looked at them.
“……Yes. I am Astan N. Payson, head of House Payson.”
The two knights were startled by the boy's introduction.
House Payson had once been counted among the fairly wealthy families in the southern part of the Rabadian Empire.
Some of House Rodban's knights had even wanted to transfer to House Payson.
They had heard that the count and countess died in an unfortunate accident and that the family had fallen…….
'So it was demoted to a knight's house?!'
'I heard the new head was a young boy, but…….'
Rud and Ripan calmed themselves and bowed their heads again.
“We have received confirmation that the goblin settlement was destroyed. Please accept your reward first.”
Astan nodded and took the cloth pouch filled with money.
“Forgive the question…… but do you currently have somewhere to live, Sir Payson?”
“For now, I am staying at an inn in Cielo Village. I intend to return to Rabin Village, my territory, later.”
“I see.”
Rabin Village bordered Viscount Rodban's lands.
'An excellent place for a house to become a vassal of House Rodban.'
Rud smiled and nodded.
“The viscount was interested to hear that a twelve-year-old boy completed this request alone. So…… did you truly carry it out by yourself?”
“Yes.”
“I also heard one of the magic stones you sold was four-star. That would mean you can wield the Sword Aura of at least a high-level Expert…….”
Astan narrowed his eyes and glared at Rud.
Was the knight trying to sound him out?
Rud flinched at Astan's cold gaze and bowed his head at once.
“Forgive me. It is difficult for us to believe…… Viscount Rodban has questions as well. How could a twelve-year-old boy kill a four-star magic beast?”
“Whew…….”
Well, Astan had expected the lord to take an interest.
The lord had registered the request himself, after all.
“I can currently wield the Sword Aura of a top-level Expert and use second-circle magic.”
“Ah…….”
“I have already shown the guild master. Ask him to verify it. I will be going now.”
Rud and Ripan were taken aback by Astan's confidence.
Was he really a child of twelve?
Even an adult would tense up at the coldness in his eyes.
After Astan left the guild, Rud looked at Rina.
“I-is what he said true?”
“I cannot judge his level precisely. But the master said Mr. Astan was a top-level Expert swordsman.”
“He also said he had learned magic…….”
“Yes, that is true. I saw him use it in his match with the master.”
“…….”
Among nobles, Astan was currently called an incompetent fool.
He was the fool who had brought House Payson to ruin.
How had someone like that become a magic swordsman?
“……Was he only incompetent at administration?”
“Even so, wielding the Sword Aura of a top-level Expert at twelve is…….”
“Yes, it is unbelievable. But…….”
If Gunt had already verified it, it could not be a lie.
“We must report to the head of our house at once.”
Rud and Ripan hurried out of the guild.
***
Viscount Grant L. Rodban wore his black hair in a short crew cut.
After hearing from the inspection team that the goblin settlement had been destroyed and learning the mercenary's identity from Rud, he could only keep letting out incredulous laughs.
“Hah. This is nothing like what you told me.”
The viscount looked at Jeffrey, the fifty-something treasurer standing before him.
Jeffrey had once served as the treasurer of the Payson count's family and had felt a small measure of satisfaction at its fall.
If Astan had pushed Cecilia away and trusted him…….
House Payson surely would not have fallen as it had.
As soon as Jeffrey left House Payson, he looked through the job notices posted by noble houses.
The treasurer of Viscount Rodban's house happened to be retiring, and the house was looking for a replacement. Jeffrey went straight there when he saw the notice.
Viscount Rodban saw his work history and hired him at once.
“Did you not tell me he had no talent for swordsmanship or magic?”
“I…… I remember that he did not achieve any special results at the academy. His written exam scores also stayed in the middle range…… And while House Payson still held the rank of count, he left all his duties to the Third Lady of House Posen and shut himself in his bedroom…….”
“Good grief. If what you say is true, what am I to make of the information my knights brought back?”
“Is he really…… Count Payson…… no, Sir Astan N. Payson?”
“Gunt, the master of the Mercenary Guild in Cielo Village, checked his noble's nameplate himself. I also looked into it, and it is true that Rabin Village is the only land House Payson has left.”
“…….”
Jeffrey frowned and lowered his head.
“The best outcome would be to take Sir Payson as a vassal. Even if his family was demoted from a count's house, he is only twelve.”
“That…….”
“And with talent like that, he may someday reach the level of a Swordmaster. If matters go well, he could even be raised to a baron.”
“…….”
“When Elia returns from the academy, I should arrange for them to meet.”
Elia L. Rodban was the daughter of the viscount's first concubine.
A cute eleven-year-old girl, she had inherited her father's black hair and her mother's blue eyes.
“If Lady Elia does not like Sir Payson…….”
“Then…… it cannot be helped.”
Jeffrey gave a bitter smile at Grant's reply.
“In any case, I should invite Sir Payson soon. He is still young, so a little support money and the loan of a few capable people should persuade him to become my vassal.”
If Jeffrey was right, Astan could not even manage a single village.
Someone to handle the finances, and funds to develop the village.
Those two things alone might bring a future Swordmaster into his house.
“The communication orb connected to House Payson…….”
“The imperial court has probably already taken it back.”
“Then I have no choice but to send a messenger.”
Jeffrey nodded.
The viscount took out fresh parchment and picked up a quill.
Astan was a child.
A little kindness, and he would surely open his heart in no time.
'I must act before another house sets its sights on him.'
While Viscount Rodban wrote his invitation, Astan, now that he had secured some funds, visited Rabin Village.
Eight women had applied to become servants.
Five were in their forties, two were in their twenties, and one was a teenager.
The teenager was nineteen, almost an adult…….
Her age should not pose a serious problem for the work.
“There are no men.”
“The men have to farm…….”
Astan nodded, seeming to understand the headman's answer.
“Very well. I will hire all of them. Please send them to the mansion. I also intend to build a wooden palisade to keep the village safe.”
“A palisade……?”
“Yes. I have already hired laborers from Cielo Village, so please give the residents a brief notice. I also intend to hire soldiers to keep order.”
“S-soldiers…… for a village this small…….”
“It would be best to hire a D~C-rank mercenary from Cielo Village as captain of the guard. I will select the soldiers through a few tests, and they will also be F~E-rank mercenaries. I plan to build quarters for them, so please tell the villagers not to be alarmed if there is a little noise.”
The headman's face stiffened at so much sudden news.
“Are…… are you sure this will be all right? If you hire soldiers as well as servants…….”
“It will be fine. There will only be about six soldiers, including the captain of the guard…….”
Each soldier would receive 200,000 wid a month, and the captain of the guard would receive a higher wage of 250,000 wid.
The private soldiers would cost 1,250,000 wid per month.
That came to about fifteen million wid a year.
Add the 19,200,000 wid paid to the servants each year, and fixed expenses would reach 34,200,000 wid. Taking into account living expenses and funds for the servants' and soldiers' welfare as well…….
'I will have to complete a request at least once a month.'
He would need C~B-grade requests to maintain both the mansion and the village.
“Then I will send the servants to the mansion immediately.”
“Yes. Thank you for all your hard work.”
Astan pressed 100,000 wid into the headman's hand.
“Th-thank you!”
“I should also create a shopping district to bring more life to the village streets. Oh, and I need a treasurer. What do you think? Would you like to take the position?”
“Pardon……?”
“Of course, I cannot pay you very much. About 230,000 wid a month at most…….”
“I…… I will do it!”