Chapter 92: Chapter 091 Medieval Mercenaries
Richard walked into the inn and looked around, noticing the town’s residents, passers-by, and, of course, a hard-to-miss Mercenary Team, raising an eyebrow slightly.
In the Medieval era, there indeed existed Mercenary Teams or Mercenary Groups, considered some of the earliest mercenaries. They varied in size and were favored by many small countries or Small Nobles. After all, some small countries might only have a few cities, and some Small Nobles could only have a castle, a town, or a few villages, incapable of maintaining an army on their own. Therefore, when an army was needed, they had to spend a significant amount of money to hire mercenaries.
Generally speaking, the tasks assigned to mercenaries varied greatly, some were arduous, like ensuring the security of a city or participating in a battle until victory was achieved. Others were almost laughable, such as protecting a noble’s lover at all times or hunting a special beast in the forest, among others.
Simply put, being a mercenary was a high-risk profession in the Medieval world. They sold their combat skills and risked their lives in exchange for good remuneration.
As such, the mercenaries were a mixed lot – men, women, the elderly, children, good people, bad people, and more often than not, those who prioritized their interests above all else.
Therefore, trustworthiness was highly valued among the Medieval mercenaries.
Once they took the money, they would do the job, and if the employer wanted someone chopped, they would certainly chop. If on the battlefield, the employer’s enemy could double the pay, they would guarantee absolute neutrality. If the employer’s enemy offered three times the pay, they would turn sides in the middle of battle.
Clear pricing, no deception involved.
Of course, there were some exceptions. For instance, the Swiss mercenaries that emerged towards the end of the Medieval period on modern Earth were renowned for their discipline, bravery, and loyalty.
During the three Burgundian Wars, the Swiss mercenaries defeated the Duke of Burgundy, Bold Charles, several times, the last time even resulting in his death. During the Sack of Rome, Carlos I, who was simultaneously the King of Spain and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, surrounded Rome with 30,000 troops intending to capture the Pope. The Swiss mercenaries, covering for the Pope’s escape, saw 147 out of 189 men perish but ultimately completed their mission. Since then, on modern Earth, the Swiss Guard has served as the protective force and ceremonial symbol for the Pope’s Vatican.
After glancing at the Mercenary Team consisting of three men and one woman, Richard was hesitant to make any conclusions about whether they were trustworthy mercenaries or the outlier type, especially without having seen their actions. But this had little to do with him; he was merely preparing to stay here for the night before heading to the Royal Capital of Jade City tomorrow to meet Gro.
Richard walked up to the counter, requested an available room, and ordered his meal to be delivered to his room. Without any fuss, he turned and ascended the stairs with Pandora.
Danis watched as Richard walked upstairs with Pandora, who resembled a little maid, her eyes flickered, then she felt someone gently poking her.
Turning her head, she saw Cole looking over.
“What’s up?” Danis asked.
“Hehe,” Cole chuckled at Danis and whispered, “So, Danis, you fancy that young noble lad with barely any beard?”
“Ha.” Danis didn’t deny it, looking sideways, “So what? Young and adorable, that’s exactly my type.”
“That’s perfect,” Cole spoke up, “our goals are the same, but the difference is, you’re interested in the person, while I’m interested in the money. How about it, shall we collaborate on a job?”
Danis’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Cole for a while and then said, “How do I know you’re telling the truth? What if you’re just using me? This has happened before, right? Yeah, three months ago, I distracted the target for you, and after you took the luggage from his room, you just slipped away. Left me to be entangled by that disgusting fat merchant all night.”
“Ha,” Cole wasn’t embarrassed, he said with a grin that wasn’t really a smile, “It goes both ways, let’s not point fingers. Six months ago, I helped you hook up with that young what’s-his-name baron heir, and you didn’t help me pick his pocket either. After all the effort you put into flirting with him, he didn’t fall for you, wasting a perfect opportunity to get rich.”
Danis’s eyebrows furrowed, showing a hint of annoyance.
Cole quickly waved his hands, “Stop, stop, stop! Let’s talk business. Are we doing this or not? The plan is this, you use your… um, charm to lure that noble guy out, anywhere. If you can, best lead him to your room and into your bed, make him swear to marry you—that’s always been your goal, hasn’t it? Meanwhile, I will take the chance to rummage through his luggage in his room.”
“Hmph, don’t forget, he has a little maid,” Danis said.
“Ha, a little girl not even as tall as my chest, what could she do? I’ll deceive her with a few words, and if not, I’ll just tie her up, gag her, and toss her in a corner. She can’t overturn heaven,” Cole said disdainfully.
“Then you’d better wear a mask. The noble youth and that little maid saw us together earlier. Although they might not remember, if the maid recognizes you and then tells the noble youth, the plan is completely ruined. Of course, you could kill her—but you know, I don’t like killing.”
“Alright, alright, what a hassle, but I’ll follow your advice. I’ll wear a mask,” Cole said impatiently, then paused as if thinking of something, and asked, “So does that mean you agree to the plan?”
“Agree, of course I agree,” Danis said, her lips curling up, “Why wouldn’t I? It’s not easy to come across a noble, especially one who’s alone. I can’t let this chance slip by.”
“But aren’t you worried that this noble might be a fake? There are quite a few pretending to be nobles these days. And him having just a single maid is suspicious.”
“If that’s really the case, then I’ll treat him very well!” Danis’s voice grew cold, then shifted again, her eyes twinkling, “But if by chance he is a real noble, even if he’s the smallest of lord heirs, I’ll make sure he thoroughly enjoys the pleasure of being a man, not a boy, and make him absolutely unable to leave me.”
Watching Danis’s demeanor, Cole couldn’t help but lick his lips, feeling a dryness in his throat, but then he calmed down. In his view, money was far more important than a woman. With money, what kind of woman couldn’t he find? Danis’s desperation to snatch up every noble was ultimately just for money. If he had money, he could completely think about buying a title, and then Danis might actually climb into his bed willingly. Well, of course, that would require a hefty sum of money.
At this point, the leader of the Mercenary Team, Mu Ke, spoke up, seemingly full after eating, and tapped the table, “I’m going back to my room to sleep, and you shouldn’t stay up too late either. We need to head to the Royal Capital early tomorrow, don’t delay.”
“Ah, yes,” the others responded.
After Mu Ke went upstairs, the burly man who had eaten his fill glanced at Danis, seemingly reluctant to leave but then went upstairs as well. Cole and Danis continued discussing, finalizing some details, before finally heading upstairs themselves.