Chapter 263: The Cost

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the tent grew somewhat heavy.

The one who caused this oppressive mood, Olivia, had already returned to her dazed appearance.

Jeven furrowed his brows in thought, while Leo and Vito directly lowered their visors, concealing their expressions.

Odysseus felt this suffocating pressure, and something came to his mind. He hesitated for a while, then his gaze grew firm as he looked at the other three Virtue Knights.

Meeting Odysseus’s eyes, the other three knights looked a little confused at first, but gradually, the comradeship between them allowed them to understand Odysseus’s meaning. Exchanging a glance, they finally gave Odysseus a confirming nod.

Thus, Odysseus took a deep breath and said to Jeven, “I know saving the Saintess requires a price. The Church Nation is already in such a state, and we have nothing else of value. Therefore, I, on behalf of the Virtue Knights Order, offer you ten years of our service in exchange. I beg you to help us bring back the Saintess.”

How much was ten years of service from four knights worth?

Aen Collins, the merchant who had been willing to trade in Rod City after Jeven became bishop, once said that three gold coins were enough to hire a Lower Warrior to accompany him on a journey to the Northern Kingdom, a trip lasting half a month.

If the hire was an Upper Warrior, then the price would be ten gold coins.

As for a knight, though Aen had never hired one, he heard that a certain great merchant once hired a Wild Knight, and it had cost one hundred gold coins for just ten days.

In other words, if calculated in the simplest and crudest way, hiring a Wild Knight for a year would cost at least three thousand six hundred gold coins. Ten years meant thirty-six thousand gold coins. For four knights, that would be one hundred and forty-four thousand gold coins.

And Virtue Knights were naturally far stronger than Wild Knights. Moreover, hired knights did not serve loyally. When faced with true danger to their lives, those Wild Knights would not hesitate to flee, whereas loyal knights would fight to the death to obey their commander’s orders.

One hundred and forty-four thousand gold coins—what did that concept even mean?

Now that the monetary system had already been established, the annual tax revenue of the Diocese of Rod, measured in gold coins, amounted to no more than six thousand.

The Senate, following the example of the Diocese of Adrian, gave one-tenth of that revenue to the local church. This meant that Jeven received only six hundred gold coins a year from the Senate.

In an instant, Jeven realized he did not need to think twice. He said, “I will send someone to the Corlay Family to negotiate with them. If possible, we will redeem Saintess Alice through peaceful trade. If peace proves impossible, then I ask for Knight Odysseus’s understanding.”

Knight Odysseus nodded and said, “I understand. The fact that you are willing to attempt this is already enough for us to be grateful.”

Leo lifted his visor and asked, “Do you need us to go with you?”

Jeven shook his head and replied, “No, you are not suited to go. I will send Aen instead.”

He then turned to Melia and said, “Miss Melia, I wish to temporarily borrow one thousand gold coins from the Church’s headquarters, to be repaid within three years.”

Melia nodded without hesitation and said, “That is fine.”

As the Church’s steward, Melia had the authority to approve loans of several thousand gold coins.

That night, Jeven remained in his tent, repenting until midnight.

…

Three days later, Aen, who had come to deliver goods, unhesitatingly accepted Jeven’s commission.

The gold coins were secondary—what mattered more was that Jeven permitted him to act in the name of Bishop Jeven of the Diocese of Rod.

After returning to York Territory, Aen used the voucher given by Melia at the monastery to withdraw one thousand gold coins. He then spent less than one hundred of them to purchase thirty cartloads of wheat, recently collected by other merchants and referred to as “aged wheat.” He also hired more than seventy laborers to move the grain, forty Upper Warrior mercenaries, and three Wild Knights.

Aen was somewhat excited. With so many people, he could have easily torn down the manor of the local gentry he once served.

Of course, this was only possible because of Bishop Jeven’s name. Hiring so many people would have been impossible otherwise. Hiring the laborers and Upper Warriors was easy enough, but Wild Knights could not be hired with money alone.

Most Wild Knights came from the Land of Anathema or from territories of nobles executed by the Senate in the south. Having lost their lords and their fiefs, they had no choice but to become Wild Knights.

And everyone knew the mercenary taverns were backed by certain senators. Without a senator’s approval, Aen could never have hired so many.

This mighty caravan cut directly across the Diocese of Rod, then followed the route along the Northwind Mountains, passing Graywind Fortress, entering the Northern Kingdom, and skirting the areas infested with Original Sin Believers until they finally reached the Corlay Family’s territory.

According to noble tradition: once you set foot on my land, if your fist is weaker than mine, then your belongings are mine.

Thus, Aen’s caravan, which had not been attacked by dark creatures along the way, was assaulted by a noble.

However, this noble, who dared attack Aen’s caravan with just one knight and more than eighty warriors, was swiftly captured.

Each mercenary carried a Powerful Crossbow. With one volley, half the noble’s warriors fell, their morale collapsed, and then the mercenaries discarded their crossbows. Following the charge of the three Wild Knights, they captured the noble alive.

In recent years, the people of York Territory no longer held such awe for nobles. From the time the Church had three barons welcome returning soldiers, to when commoners themselves could slay nobles, reverence had steadily eroded.

And recently, the Senate’s army had killed more than a dozen petty nobles. Now, with Aen himself capturing a noble alive, he found it difficult to feel any respect.

So, after capturing the noble, Aen immediately gave him two heavy slaps.

The captive noble’s face twisted with rage.

“You fool, I serve the honorable Bishop Jeven of the Diocese of Rod of the Church of the Sanctuary, and you dare attack my caravan!” Aen said arrogantly, before slapping the noble twice more.

“Church men? The Church of the Sanctuary? Not the Church Nation?” the noble asked calmly instead.

“Of course. Look at what I bring. The Church knows you wastes are besieged by dark creatures and may lack food. That is why the merciful Bishop Jeven ordered me to bring provisions.” Aen said.

Polluted lands, the Morning Star veiled, humans starved—this was the dark creatures’ usual method. Dark creatures did not eat wheat. First, they craved humans, then flesh, and then anything edible—gnawing grass, tree roots, and in extreme cases, even soil.

Thus, the Corlay Family’s lands were indeed starving, their people restless.

Cannibalism could happen when desperation peaked, but until that moment, staring at one another hungrily only deepened unease and agitation.

That was why, upon hearing news that Aen had entered with a large stock of food, this noble had rushed out with his knight, his personal guard, and conscripted militia.

Merchants had no family crests. Even with numbers, horses, and weapons, they were still just merchants. The noble never believed a merchant caravan could withstand his knight and warriors.

But who knew these people would be so fierce? They looked idle at first, but once battle began, they fought with veteran skill—a single volley of bow-like weapons, then a charge.

And, most importantly, there were three knights.

He truly never imagined a merchant caravan could have knights.

Even when he saw them on horseback earlier, he assumed the merchant was rich enough to mount his guard captain, perhaps a few armored cavalry.

But knights serving as merchant escorts? That was unheard of. His father, his grandfather, his ancestors—none had ever heard of such a thing.

Otherwise, even after the first volley, he and his knight could have fought back with the survivors.

“What a merciful bishop.” The noble laughed, saying, “So, you are here to sell this wheat?”

“Of course. Delivering it was Bishop Jeven’s mercy, but me charging a little for the journey is only fair.” Aen said. “From York Territory to here, I have traveled for more than twenty days. And my guards followed me throughout.”

The noble nodded. “Of course. If it is for sale, I will buy it all.”

Aen sneered, casting him a disdainful look, then tossed him a gold coin. “This is a York gold coin. Only this has value as money, only this can be used for trade. Do you understand?”

The noble showed no anger. Even as Aen looked at him as though he were a commoner, he picked up the coin and examined its markings carefully.

One side’s symbol was unclear to him, but the cross on the other was perfectly distinct.

At once, countless thoughts ran through his mind. His eyes shifted slightly, then he looked up at Aen and said humbly, “Then, merciful merchant, how should I purchase your grain?”

Aen finally said, “I need to see the Duke Corlay. This is his land. My goods are not meant to be wasted on a petty noble like you.”

“Yes, yes, you are right.” The noble said, then glanced around at the laborers, the mercenaries, the Wild Knights, as well as his own knight and remaining warriors.

He continued, “From here to Blackrock Fortress is still half a day’s journey. Perhaps tonight, you might stay in my castle? Though recently, for reasons unknown, the dark creatures have withdrawn, the night is never truly safe.”

Aen replied, “Your castle cannot house so many of us. As for dark creatures, I think my guards will be more than eager to entertain them.”

At his words, the mercenaries chuckled in agreement.

Even now, dark creatures remained the mercenaries’ most profitable cargo. In fact, the lowest levels of the underground city were already set aside for raising them.

Of course, no one dared speak of it openly. Matters of the underground could never be brought above ground.

The masters behind the underground city occasionally released dark creatures into the upper levels, as a form of hush money for the mercenaries.

Everyone knew the Church must be aware of the underground.

But since the Church turned a blind eye, no one was foolish enough to stir trouble. Not only would it offend powerful figures, but even the Church would not necessarily gain from exposing it.

Seeing the look on these men’s faces, the noble made up his mind.

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