NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
“Did the lord here have no other mercenaries to call? This job isn’t at our level,”
“For the renowned Hounds, this isn’t exactly the best place to play, is it? A bloody mess of a battlefield that doesn’t let you see an inch ahead of you is more of a perfect fit for us, right?”
Even for the renowned Hounds, it wasn’t necessary to work with such risks all the time. Unlike his whining subordinates, Carl, the captain, who was satisfied with their current job, began to talk.
“Well, we’ve received an advanced deposit, and the job isn’t that urgent. Let’s just take our time,”
Instead, Carl, who had pretty much guessed the situation that might have soured his subordinates’ mood, threw out an unexpected question,
“You stopped by Banco?”
“Yeah, we did,”
“How was it there?”
Why was he asking about Banco all of a sudden? While Sett was wondering, Keith, who was with him, replied,
“What do you think? It’s just a Banco,”
“Really? What about the size?”
“The size? What about it?” While Keith was questioning it, Chris answered his question,
“Well, it’s about the size you’d expect for a territory like this,”
This time, his subordinates asked Captain Carl questions as they were curious about his intentions behind asking after Banco.
“Capitain, why are you suddenly asking about Banco?”
At the question, Captain Carl lifted the pouch of gold coins from the nearby floor in a wordless answer, then said,
“I don’t have the guts to leave this purse in this wolf’s den – how can we be sure there won’t be an ass like last time? Wouldn’t it be safer to leave it at Banco and just pay a small storage fee?”
The three subordinates exchanged glances at their smiling Capitan, shaking their heads.
“What’s with those reactions?” Since he didn’t understand their reaction, Captain Carl questioned them,
“That might not be a good idea,”
—
“Why are you here?”
“It’s been a while, my lord,”
When Rockefeller bowed politely and greeted the lord who had come into the shop, the lord couldn’t hide his flustered expression.
It had been only a month since he had suggested Rockefeller become a serf, so it was ridiculous for him to find such a Rockefeller working under the goldsmith.
“I am employed here as an assistant,”
“Assistant? You’re working here as an assistant?”
“Yes, my lord,”
“Have you been so busy with your work that you can keep an assistant?” When the lord threw the question at Carter, who was sitting nearby, Carter replied with an awkward smile.
“Yes, well, it has been slightly busier recently,”
“To the point where you need an assistant?”
“That is the case, my lord,”
It wasn’t like this was a major imperial city, nor was it a commercially prominent place, but a small Banco located on the outskirts of the Empire.
There was no way it was so busy that one would need an assistant. While the lord was doubting it, Carter had answered the way he had, and there was nothing he could say back to that.
“…”
The lord who had brooded over the two for a moment had to accept it grudgingly.
A month ago, the death of his parent had left them without hope for a livelihood. He had advised Rockefeller to keep to his means as it was impolite for those without the means to reach for more than was theirs.
‘His luck is…good. He’s a fortunate guy, to think he managed to get a job at Banco,’ – with those thoughts, the lord swallowed back his bitterness and said something he didn’t even mean,
“To think you would manage to get a job here… well, yes, that’s good for you. I suppose it is keeping to the manner of commoners to live and work like this – since serfs can’t work here,”
While he considered how this boy might have got this job, the picture did seem to add up in some ways.
“Well, since you’re the son of the tax collector, it makes sense. I know you’re literate – did you learn to count from your father as well?”
“Yes, my lord,”
“Yes, well, since you know how to do complex things like calculating, it works out that you work here. I told you the other day that one must know their place and it is manners to keep to their place,”
‘I don’t think that’s what you meant though,’ Rockefeller thought even as he answered,
“Yes,”
“Right, well, you’ve found your place then – just as I said. Congratulations, now that you’ve got a job at Banco, I don’t think you or your siblings will need to come under me anytime soon. You should make decent money here since it’s more expensive here than anywhere else,”
When the lord’s gaze moved to Carter, he misunderstood what the lord meant with that look and said something rather air-headed,
“Yes, I’m taking good care of him so that he has no reason to be dissatisfied. And I’m giving him separate incentives as well,”
“…Is that so? Please take good care of him then. He’s a sad friend who already has to take care of his younger siblings at such a young age,”
“Of course, I’m taking good care of him already,” Carter answered.
To the lord who said things he didn’t mean, Rockefeller also responded soullessly,
“With the grace of my life, I will live well,” Rockefeller bowed his head to the lord who kept a bitter smile on his face the entire time – inwardly, he was overjoyed at his awkwardness.