Savage Ascension: Starting with God-Tier Plunder Ability-Chapter 97: Damn Situation

They had to meet Senior Soldier Bulsheben right away. They'd come with thirty-one captured robbers, and the cart was piled high above. It was impressive that they'd accomplished it without a single death. The continued practice in situational response had been meticulous.

Bearded Doren and Large Shield Espin had received more systematic training than they themselves thought. The experience as Rowan during his army service days had been significant. Because of a battalion commander who thought about unusual advancement, he'd been rolled through bizarre all kinds of training called the modern training excellence competition.

Of course, it fizzled out after half a year. But thanks to that, Doren and Espin had gotten really good at at least beating down robbers and moving quietly in the mountains to track enemies.

Since there was no leveling up, their skills shot up like they were piercing the sky.

It wasn't an exaggeration that the soldier on guard immediately guided them directly to the senior soldier. That's how it should be. It was a different situation from before when they'd had to find him themselves.

'Hehe.'

Doren, feeling needlessly proud, puffed out his shoulders exaggeratedly. Espin was calm, but inside his heart was pounding. He already wanted to go back to Torch Fortress and tell his friends. Bulsheben, who'd gotten information first from the soldier who'd run ahead, came out of the military tent to greet them.

He was smiling, but inside he was shock and horror itself.

Soldiers run away when formation breaks even a little. That's people. That's why the Tracking Mercenary Group, which had achieved great military merit compared to their numbers, had to be impressive. It was also possible because Rowan's military power could match a quasi-knight or knight.

This was Rowan who'd blown off even a robber boss's both wrists in one strike with a secret technique that bent like lightning, ignoring the opponent's shield and weapon. He was no longer playing in the shallow waters.

'Need to rise higher.'

"Truly impressive. How did you... no, wait. Let's go inside. Mercenary Captain Rowan."

"Yes."

Bulsheben even bowed his head slightly as he lifted the cloth blocking the tent entrance with his arm. Rowan went right in. When the clueless Doren was about to move, Espin grabbed his shoulder. He was frowning, so Doren stepped back.

"Wait here."

Unlike before, Bulsheben didn't send those two mercenaries away. Just in case. When he entered, Espin roughly sat on the ground. Doren sat next to him and leaned against the cart wheel. All the robbers were led away by soldiers' hands and disappeared.

Then the cart moved.

"Oh."

It was the soldiers. When the mercenaries stood up, the soldiers made a sound and laughed.

"We'll send the heavy cart ahead to the war merchant. Haggle over the price later."

"Yes."

No worries since they'd written down a list in advance.

Inside Senior Soldier Bulsheben's military tent, a detailed report on this military achievement was being written. Of course, on the parchment it would be written in summary form, and only told in detail by mouth. Rowan didn't say he'd just attacked and gathered scattered robbers.

'You need skill to even get called.'

But he didn't tell everything either. He had to mix it appropriately. He told the story transforming it not into his own strength but into the Tracking Mercenary Group's strength. They'd accomplished terrifying feats on mountain hills, forest hills, all kinds of hills.

"The robbers never even saw us. Without attacking once, they were tracked and gagged from behind, their arms and legs had to be tied."

At that, Bulsheben nodded. Exceptional tracking and tactics targeting only small numbers. All perfect. The name Tracking Mercenary Group wasn't for nothing.

"Impressive. Commander Gesilian might give additional reward money, so prepare yourself mentally."

That was really welcome news. After the report, naturally he received a recruitment offer as a soldier. He heard that if he worked under the twenty-seven-year-old Commander Gesilian Faerun, a path to advancement would open, but he declined.

'Ridiculous.'

Succeeding as a soldier is difficult. The reason was simple. A soldier's achievement soon becomes Commander Gesilian's achievement. If he doesn't take care of you, there'll be no change whether it's five or ten years.

Also, getting out would be difficult. He's a noble of House Faerun. If he doesn't let you go, you can't get out, so it was better not to enter in the first place.

"Don't regret it later."

At Bulsheben's words, Rowan smiled and nodded. Bulsheben took off his leather gloves and offered a handshake.

"Meet the war merchant. It's about the report I mentioned before."

'As expected, Bulsheben and Panfanel stuck together.'

It was obvious. He shouldn't have just made that offer.

"Understood."

Rowan also took off his leather gloves and shook hands with him, and his eyebrows twitched momentarily.

'Hm?'

He noticed it, but with everything already finished, Rowan couldn't know why that change in expression occurred. Rowan gave a slight bow and left the military tent. Bulsheben fiddled with his hands, then his expression hardened.

Rowan still didn't know about the characteristic calluses. Mercenary Captain Yuval naturally kept his mouth shut to use this, and others did the same. Since handling a longsword one-handed required stronger hand grip, he was only now seeing Rowan's characteristic calluses after he'd bought leather gloves.

Unfortunately, even though War Merchant Panfanel saw those calluses, he didn't know what they were. He knew about characteristic calluses, but to Panfanel who wasn't a warrior, calluses were just calluses. There was no way he could invite knights to just examine their hands.

The mercenaries instantly recognized calluses formed in different places than their own, and needless to say Espin and Doren had no experience.

"I'll guide you."

"No. I'm fine."

Private Roben tried to guide him to the war merchant this time too, but he declined. He knew where it was. Also, he wanted to go alone.

"Is something going on lately?"

"It's total chaos with Commander Gesilian preparing for a subjugation campaign."

Rowan went around asking about recent events. This was Rowan who'd brought in thirty-one robbers in one haul. The soldiers had favorable feelings toward him, and they opened their mouths one after another trying to get close to him.

Heading to the war merchant again quite late, Rowan decided on his course of action.

'Panfanel isn't that careless. Even if things go wrong, I've already eaten the silver coins. Even if it fizzles out, there's nothing bad about it.'

If anything's regrettable, it's that the connection with Commander Gesilian disappeared. Also, the big money job evaporated into thin air.

'Just take the consolation money Panfanel gives and shut my mouth tight.'

Of course, Panfanel would have to give twice as much as he'd thought. The reason Rowan gave up so cleanly like this was naturally because he didn't want to make enemies of both Bulsheben and Panfanel. And Panfanel and Bulsheben likewise didn't want to make an enemy of Rowan.

They were connections that would meet at least once more someday. As long as Rowan wielded a sword, as long as they were active in their current positions...

'You never know what'll happen with people.'

Rowan wasn't someone who didn't know you had to treat even shitty people nicely. Unless you dig into the ground and live alone, you'll keep hearing stories. Especially since Rowan had already shown that his mercenary group was exceptional.

"Where did you go?"

"Yes. I had a bit of trouble sending my subordinates back since they were waiting. When they gather together, the soldiers just keep trying to talk to them."

"In those cases, you have to say it straight. Haha."

They greeted each other with smiling faces, and unlike the previous dinner, Panfanel guided him inside the military tent. At the previous dinner, Rowan had eaten outside and they'd talked in a different tent, but this time he could enter the tent where Panfanel actually lived.

"A magic furnace?"

"Yes. You don't have to clear the ash, and it puts out twice the heat as normal. Of course, you can control the heat."

Unlike Earth summer, it was a cool summer here. Fire was always good to have. Rowan asked about this and that. There were various magic items. You could tell how much money War Merchant Panfanel was holding.

Just doing business together with the lord was like riding waves with the wind pushing you.

Just as there's a saying that it takes money to make money, in this world to succeed you just had to be in cahoots with nobility.

"I heard the story. You proceeded with the work without me."

"Ahem. It just ended up that way somehow."

At Rowan's fastball, Panfanel momentarily couldn't manage his expression. He had to manage his expression because he knew that the military achievement Rowan brought this time would help Commander Gesilian. The guys he'd worked at fifty copper coins a day had made a real contribution to public security.

In the Kingdom Camp where achievements naturally built up by guarding the chokepoint and blocking the Empire's threat, an achievement made without consuming soldiers would come across impressively.

Thanks to that, Panfanel had to manage his expression toward Rowan. That was right, and the situation was clearly different from before. A merchant had to bow his head or hold it stiff depending on the situation. That was human life too.

It was no different from a small-medium business president who beats his family but can't make a peep to a conglomerate manager who gives him work.

'The Tracking Mercenary Group's capabilities are better than I thought. A greenhorn mercenary group... so this can happen.'

He'd thought they were a worthless mercenary group with some rolling skills, but now he saw they were bouncing around energetically. With a small commission fee, they were bringing years' worth of accumulated loot from robber gangs thought to have no substance and making unimaginable huge profits.

'He caught lucky breaks. Better be careful.'

"It's already a done deal, but still, we've been on the same boat before—are you just going to let me off the boat?"

Smiling with his eyes, Panfanel put a leather pouch on the table. Pretty heavy. Checking inside, it was all silver coins.

"Thirty silver coins. Even if you split it with your members, it's ten each, money you'd get from completing five to ten requests."

"Haha. Even robbing robbers gets me nine silver coins—you're giving me just ten?"

Rowan threw the pouch with silver coins back on the table. A jingling sound rang out. Panfanel corrected that statement.

"Thirty silver coins."

Rowan shook his head.

"If I split it with my members, I get ten coins, but you say thirty—your math is weird. And I'm going to meet Commander Gesilian now to receive reward money. Do you think he'll think this subjugation that started with money had good intentions? If you want to make another deal with nobility, I won't stop you."

When Rowan reached his hand to the table to take the leather pouch again, Panfanel swiftly snatched it.

'Damn situation.'

Deal with nobility? That's just words. If Commander Gesilian knew the inside story, he'd have to give gold coins. Because this was also about handling illegal merchants interfering with Panfanel's business.

'He'll ask for money to mobilize soldiers.'

When Panfanel's expression hardened, Rowan quickly spoke.

"But isn't it better to keep things friendly? Just give me one gold coin."

"..."

Panfanel's expression twisted. But even so, he didn't say anything.

Panfanel was the vested interest making money together with nobility. In small villages where there's no opportunity to even hold currency, even saving for years only gets you eight silver coins. Black Mountain Village, where retired veteran Rakson had come with currency, had a lot of currency for its level.

But that couldn't compare to the financial power the vested interests held.

The vested interest class held so much money it could be said that currency circulation depended only on them. In modern capitalist society it was ridiculous talk, but here monopoly of currency—that was possible.