บท 14: Test announcement
A crowd numbering several hundred had gathered for the selections.
However, most of them were dressed in common clothing, which was rarely in good condition.
Mercenaries in those days rarely came from wealthy families, but rather were farmers, fishermen, merchants or cattle breeders.
They all seemed to have one thing in common.
They had hit rock bottom economically speaking, so to feed and house their families, they put their lives on the line.
Honor, they didn't give a damn.
Nothing was more important than money and family.
To them, they could throw away all values, and that's why so many rich people loved them. cvw
For nothing in the world was easier than to control such people with money.
However, the atmosphere was lively as several people commented on the mansion in front of them and the saber-toothed tigers.
"For a group whose only reputation is having won a small battle with the bloody bears, they sure own a nice headquarters."
"I wonder how they got it?"
"Me too, normally this kind of abode starts at a minimum of 40 gold coins a month."
"40 gold coins a month!? Even if I risked my life for years I couldn't afford a single month!"
"Haha that's the difference between geniuses and ordinary people!"
"Genius? Meaning genius?"
"Don't you know?"
"Of what? I'm only interested in the money I could make by joining them."
"Tch, it would be a matter of thinking before entrusting your life into just anyone's hands! But at least you're in luck because this mercenary group, they're few in number, only 10 in total but the lowest potential among them is 2 stars!"
"How's that possible!?" said the man interested only in money with surprise.
"Haha in your opinion, why else would so many people gather?" replied the first smugly.
At the same moment, as the sun beat down, the portal opened wide as Andrew, Romuald, Terry and Piedro stepped out of it, drawing stares from all the potential recruits.
The atmosphere fell silent in the space of a few moments.
"Good morning, everyone," Andrew announced sharply, stepping forward more than his colleagues.
Seeing his red hair, most of them watched him intently.
"Andrew's appearance always has an effect haha" observed Maxime, laughing from a corner in the distance.
"Welcome to the saber-toothed tiger recruitment test, I'm Andrew the vice-captain."
"Vice-captain? Is it normal that I don't remember appointing him to this position?" murmured Maxime in his corner with a slight hint of annoyance but at the same time laughing at the situation.
"To be clean with you I'm going to tell you straight out about working conditions with the saber-toothed tigers," Andrew announced solemnly, while Romuald, Terry and Piedro wore very serious expressions.
"Looks like they've rehearsed before haha" thought Maxime, laughing.
"We're a new mercenary group with totally ordinary members with little or no mercenary experience."
"We don't have much gold to spare either. Only enough to last this headquarters a month or two before abandoning it."
"That's why your basic salary will be the bare minimum, i.e. 1 gold coin per month on missions. The rest of the time, you'll just be housed and fed at headquarters."
"You'll have to buy your own equipment."
"If you die in battle, your family will receive no compensation whatsoever; we'll just send them your personal belongings and any gold you've saved."
Murmurs erupted from the crowd as faces filled with disappointment crossed the crowd.
"However, we are young, strong and with unlimited potential!"
"All our current members have 2-star mercenary talent, and I myself have 3-star talent!"
"Not to mention our leader with unknown potential!"
Without losing his momentum, Andrew continued in his strong voice:
"The Baron has already placed his trust in us by granting us a mission of the utmost importance!"
"Taking all this into account, our selection criteria will be extremely selective, so be prepared," Andrew affirmed, turning and re-entering the garden once more.
"All those who are still interested should follow me, the rest can leave," he finished in a dry, commanding tone.
The crowd didn't follow directly as potential recruits chatted amongst themselves and raised their voices.
Finally, a muscular but rather skinny individual emerged from the crowd. He looked rather elderly and seemed to have come out of desperation.
"Wait two seconds!" he shouted loudly.
This brought Andrew's steps to a halt as he turned and replied in a cold voice:
"Haven't I made myself clear?"
This caused the intervening individual to gulp down a mouthful of saliva.
Indeed, Andrew's current appearance resembled that of a demon straight from hell, although there was still a hint of immaturity on his face.
Yet he took courage and said:
"I'm just an ordinary farmer. My wife had the misfortune to become pregnant for the4th time, so my small income can no longer adequately feed my entire family."
"How can I trust you? How can I trust myself to put my life in the hands of a young man like you?"
"Don't you feel like you're taking the mercenary life as a joke?" he finished angrily, exhaling sharply.
Andrew looked at him attentively.
Then he covered the wide distance between them with a slow but resonant step.
And at last he reached the desperate farmer.
After a long, expectant silence, Andrew announced fiercely:
"Aren't you the one who takes your family's life as a joke?"
"How could I take it for a joke! I put my life on the line for them!"
"That's just it, taking their lives as a joke."
"If you died, no matter how much compensation your family would only slowly perish. And even if the compensation is really good, your family will be robbed at best, raped and turned into slaves at worst."
Andrew's sharp words echoed through the crowd and into the farmer's heart as he bowed his head in shame and frustration.
"But I'll give one piece of advice to all the irresponsible among you."
This intrigued the entire crowd as they listened intently to the red-haired young man.
"The test will consider neither your talent nor your strength. Only your background, your values and your goals in joining us."
"This is the only chance of your life to change your destiny."
"Seize it and you'll get a chance at status, gold and glory. Miss it and stay in your mediocrity for the rest of your life."
"I'll say no more, let those who wish to begin the test follow me, the rest can get the hell out of here."
Surprisingly, the first to rise was the desperate farmer, who carried with him a brand-new resolution:
"I will assume all my responsibilities as a pillar of my family."
"This is my opportunity not only to feed my family, but also to provide a future for my children. For this opportunity, I can't miss it even if I have to give up my life."
"And anyway I have no other alternative."
Various other poor, desperate men followed suit.
In a few other corners of the crowd:
"Interesting..." murmured a mysterious individual hiding most of his face with a mask and his body with a black outfit.
...
"You see that my brothers, it seems that this group is rather peculiar" laughed a pretty woman with red hair.
She and the three men beside her were well equipped and among the few with any strength.
The three men behind them were also smiling.
"Yes sis, maybe our dream can come true with this group."
...
"Hey Ernest, if it only counted strength and potential I'm sure you'd have been accepted."
"It's too bad it also counts personality."
"Don't go on Rodrigo."
"No doubt with a shitty personality like yours, there's no way they'd accept you."
"I'm going to kill you." replied Ernest as he drew his sword, making Rodrigo's previously cheerful smile pale.
"That was a joke."
"Not me."
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