Chapter 16: The Barcan Estate (4)

“This is the guildhall,” the guard commander said. “Oh, thank you for bringing me there,” Ketal replied. The guard commander watched Ketal for a moment before taking his leave. “Well, this is as far as I go. For anything else, just ask the receptionists directly.” “Understood.” The guard commander had tried to dissuade him, suggesting he seek the lord’s recognition instead of becoming a mere mercenary. However, Ketal was adamant—he wanted to be a mercenary. It was as if the idea of being a mercenary carried an allure, a romantic appeal, for him. To the guard commander, it was baffling. Ketal wasn’t some naive noble; he was a barbarian. He didn’t know why a barbarian would harbor such a notion. In the end, the commander decided to stay silent and let Ketal do his thing. Ketal stepped into the guildhall. The already unstable floor groaned under his massive weight, threatening to give way. His heavy footsteps echoed as he advanced further inside. The commotion and brawling that had dominated the room moments before came to an abrupt halt. Mercenaries were simple and direct. They knew one thing for sure: this barbarian was someone who could crush their heads like ripe fruit if they crossed him. An eerie silence filled the room, unusual for the normally chaotic guildhall. he thought. Ketal found it odd. Perhaps mercenaries could be polite and refined, contrary to the rough image he had in mind. Deciding to embrace the full spectrum of fantasy life, he noted this observation. Satisfied with his conclusion, he walked up to a trembling mercenary. The man’s eyes darted about in panic. “Excuse me, may I ask something?” Ketal asked him. “Y-yes! What do you need?” the mercenary quickly replied. “Where are the receptionists?” “T-there! Over there!” The mercenary hastily pointed toward the reception desk. Ketal grinned. “Thank you.” The mercenary nodded shakily, his face pale. Ketal approached the reception desk. The receptionists instinctively pushed their chairs back until they hit the wall. They began praying silently, Ketal stepped in front of the desk. He said cheerfully, “Nice to meet you.” “Ah…” Rosa, the chosen receptionist, went pale. *** Rosa lamented internally. She wanted to scream. However, instead of a prince, here was a barbarian, twice her size, looming over her. The barbarian sat down quietly. The chair creaked under his weight as if crying in protest. “Pleasure to meet you,” Ketal said with a smile. Rosa squeezed her eyes shut. “H-hello…” Ketal noticed her fear. Though he hated to admit it, his appearance was clearly intimidating to others. “I don’t intend to cause any trouble. You can relax,” he said gently. “O-okay… Yes…” His calm tone helped Rosa regain a bit of composure. she thought. Rosa clung to this logic, slowly calming herself. Meanwhile, Ketal believed his words had worked wonders. “I want to become a mercenary,” Ketal stated. “A-a mercenary? Do you have any proof of identity?” Rosa asked him. “Unfortunately, I do not.” “I see…” Rosa gulped and began the registration process. “What’s your reason for becoming a mercenary?” “I have several reasons, but primarily to gain recognition for my identity. I’ve heard that working as a mercenary can achieve that. Is that true?” “Yes, but it requires a significant record of achievements. Are you okay with that?” “That’s fine.” After several routine questions, Rosa continued, “The registration fee is five silver coins.” Ketal handed over the coins without hesitation. He had more than enough from clearing the Dungeon and fighting Lord Barcan’s knight. “What is your name and age?” Rosa asked him. “Ketal. Just Ketal. As for my age… I’m not sure.” “I’ll make an approximate entry.” Rosa finished the registration. “Your registration is complete. Here is your mercenary badge. Do not lose it; it symbolizes your status as a mercenary.” Ketal received a wooden pendant and hung it around his neck, smiling in satisfaction. “Excellent.” He was officially a mercenary now. “And now,” he said, “What quests are available? I want to start right away.” “Q-quests? Of course…” Rosa picked up the quest board with practiced ease but froze as realization dawned. Her expression stiffened. Ketal waited eagerly, anticipation clear on his face. He wondered what adventures awaited him and what kind of thrilling quests lay ahead. Rosa closed her eyes tightly. “You can read, correct? Here are the quests currently available to you.” “Hmm, hmm…” Ketal took the quest list with an excited grin, scanning the contents. His brows furrowed. “Is that all?” The available quests were all simple—collecting herbs outside the village, cleaning the basement, clearing the sewers, etc… There were menial tasks, barely worthy of being called quests. Rosa stammered, “T-there are more quests, but as an F-Rank mercenary, these are the ones you’re eligible for.” Ketal expected this to happen. Anyone could become a mercenary, but true recognition required time and effort. Completing numerous simple tasks, steadily building a record, and eventually climbing the ranks was the only path. Even the current king of mercenaries had started this way. There were no shortcuts in the mercenary world. For now, all Ketal could do were errands. “Hmm,” Ketal muttered, stroking his chin. Rosa braced herself for an outburst. Many mercenaries from her previous encounters reacted this way, only to be subdued by the guards. However, this time, she couldn’t rely on the guards. She didn’t think any guards could handle someone like Ketal, whose arm was thicker than her waist. However, instead of an outburst, Ketal calmly pointed to one of the quests. “This one will do.” “Excuse me?” Rosa blinked. Searᴄh the nôᴠel Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His finger rested on the herb collection quest. “Are you sure about this?” she asked, surprised. “A task is a task, is it not? I see no problem.” “I see…” “I understand that I haven’t earned your trust yet,” Ketal said matter-of-factly. It made sense. They wouldn’t entrust important missions to an unknown barbarian. “I will start small and earn your trust. Isn’t that natural?” Ketal asked her. “Y-yes… that’s true.” Rosa was taken aback. His reasoning was logical, almost unnervingly so. “Where can I find these herbs?” “Ah, outside the village. They look like this,” Rosa said, showing him a sample. “Got it, I’ll be off then.” With that, Ketal left the guildhall. As the door closed behind him, the tension in the room finally eased. The mercenaries let out sighs of relief and collapsed into their seats. *** The guards at the outer gate recoiled in shock at the sight of Ketal. He casually pulled out his mercenary badge. “I’ve accepted a quest to gather herbs. They don’t grow within the estate, so I will need to step outside. Is that permitted?” “Y-yes, it is!” The guard hastily opened the gate, his demeanor making it clear he wanted to avoid spending another second in the barbarian’s presence. “I have no intention of causing trouble, so you can relax,” Ketal said as he felt a twinge of hurt. “Ah, of course…” the guard muttered, trying to maintain composure. Ketal stepped outside, greeted by the vibrant green of the fields and the rich brown of the earth. A smile spread across his face. “Wonderful, just wonderful.” He made his way to the area where the herbs were said to grow. There, he found several plants resembling the sample he had been shown. “Herbs that help with wounds, huh? Fascinating,” Ketal mused. Though he wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about plants, these herbs were distinctly different from those on Earth. Despite his massive form, Ketal crouched down and carefully began harvesting the herbs. It was a tedious, repetitive task—digging delicately to avoid damaging the roots and ensuring the leaves remained intact. Most would find it dull, but Ketal found it immensely satisfying. Harvesting magical herbs in a fantasy world was an adventure in itself, and the process brought him great joy. After an hour of work, he returned to the guildhall. The previously rowdy space grew silent once more. “Here. All done,” Ketal announced, placing a large pouch of herbs on the desk. “Th-that’s a lot…” Rosa started in astonishment at the sheer volume of herbs. It was five times the amount she had expected. As she inspected them one by one, her surprise only deepened. “They’re in excellent condition.” Harvesting herbs wasn’t just yanking them out of the ground. It required careful digging to avoid damaging the roots and gentle handling to keep the leaves pristine. Most mercenaries brought back herbs that were barely usable, their value diminished by careless harvesting. Rosa hadn’t expected much from Ketal either. After all, he was a barbarian—known for their brute strength and lack of finesse. Surely, someone like him wouldn’t put effort into carefully harvesting herbs. However, she was wrong. Nearly all the herbs were flawless, with intact roots and leaves. It was as if they had been gathered by a seasoned herbalist. “I take pride in my delicate hands,” Ketal said proudly. “I see,” Rosa stammered as she hurriedly processed the herbs and handed over his reward. “Here it is.” She placed a single silver coin in Ketal’s hand. It was one silver coin. From what Ketal knew, it was barely enough to cover a cheap meal at a tavern for a day. Considering the vast amount of herbs he’d brought back, it was a meager sum. Yet, Ketal smiled with satisfaction. Completing a mercenary quest and receiving a fitting reward—there was a unique sense of accomplishment in this that clearing Dungeons couldn’t provide. “Good, what’s the next quest?” Ketal asked. “You… want to do another one?” Rosa asked, astonished. “Of course. The sun’s still high. There’s plenty to do.” Ketal scanned the quest board and pointed to a new task: clearing a warehouse. “I’ll take this one.” “Okay… Please do.” Rosa wondered, her face pale as she nodded. *** Cleaning the warehouse turned out to be straightforward. It involved moving heavy objects, which posed no challenge for Ketal. The only hiccup was when the warehouse keeper, terrified at the sight of Ketal, swung a club and begged for his life. Next came a street-cleaning quest. With a broom in his hand, Ketal swept the streets. At first, he misjudged his strength, creating a dust storm that engulfed several passersby. But other than that, he completed the task without major issues. And so, Ketal continued to take on and complete quests, one after another. From the rooftop, Kain watched with confusion. The barbarian had integrated himself into the estate remarkably smoothly. Of course, his massive frame and intimidating appearance made him stand out, and the locals were still terrified of him. But strangely, he wasn’t causing any trouble. This incongruity gnawed at Kain. “What is he doing?” he muttered. Based on his disciple’s skills, Ketal was at least at the Transcendent level—a being capable of influencing an entire kingdom if he so desired. With that kind of power, he could demand respect and recognition anywhere he went. And as a barbarian, a race known for their strength-based worldview, such behavior would be expected. Kain had dealt with enough barbarians to know this. Yet here Ketal was, organizing warehouses, picking up trash, and doing menial chores anyone could perform. And he wasn’t doing them half-heartedly. He approached each task with earnest dedication. “Why is he doing this?” Kain wondered. To him, these menial jobs were meaningless and beneath someone of Ketal’s power. With just a display of strength, Ketal could command admiration, power, and prestige. But he seemed utterly uninterested in such things, instead contentedly sweeping the streets with a cheerful face. By the end of the day, Ketal had completed fifteen quests. He returned to his lodgings with a few silver coins in hand, looking completely satisfied.