"Let's go!" The muscles in Damari's face twitched unnaturally. He let out a hoarse growl and prepared to lead his remaining men in a hasty retreat from the bar.
"Hold on a moment."
Slowly, with a sense of foreboding, Damari turned toward the source of the voice.
"Vice-Captain Damari, surely you haven't... forgotten something important?" Siviel had emerged from behind the bar. Her full figure was now leaning lazily against the counter, a faint, unreadable smile on her face.
Damari didn't speak. He pulled a glittering gold coin from his purse and, without looking, tossed it toward Siviel. In his mind, one gold coin was more than enough to cover a few broken tables.
However, Siviel simply let the coin clatter to the floor.
"Not enough," Siviel said slowly. "Ten gold coins."
"Ten gold coins?! Siviel! This is blatant extortion! You think a few broken tables are worth ten gold coins?!" Damari's voice cracked with rage.
Siviel's smile widened. "Vice-Captain Damari, the tables you broke aren't worth much, a single gold coin at most. But you personally smashed a jar of my finest, aged wine. You're not thinking of skipping out on that bill, are you?"
"It's just a damn jar of wine! How can it be worth ten gold coins?!"
"What you just smashed was the best, and the last, jar of 'Golden Pine Wine' in the Orchid Bar. This wine is brewed from dozens of rare herbs using a secret method. You won't find another jar in all of Luminea! If you don't believe me, Vice-Captain, you're welcome to get down on the floor and taste it for yourself."
Damari gritted his teeth. He knew Siviel was using this as an excuse to fleece him. But there was no way he would humiliate himself by getting on the floor to verify the wine's authenticity in front of everyone.
"Hmph! It's just ten gold coins! I can afford it!" Damari squeezed the words out.
"No, no, no, Vice-Captain, you're mistaken again." Siviel shook her head, her smile growing even brighter. "The price is now... twelve gold coins. The extra two are for my emotional distress, for the insult. You can ask any of our mercenary brothers here. In all the years I've been running this bar in Luminea, have I ever extorted anyone?"
"That's right! Sister Siviel's business is the fairest and most honest!"
"Yeah, yeah! Sister Siviel never cheats anyone! If she says that's the price, then that's the price!"
The crowd of onlooking mercenaries, eager for more drama, chimed in, thumping their chests in agreement.
Damari felt a surge of rage in his chest, but he could only let it go. Though he was the vice-captain of Crimson Thorn, this woman, Siviel, was not someone to be trifled with.
His face dark, Damari emptied his coin purse, tossed out twelve gold coins, and fled the Orchid Bar.
Jason picked up the longsword from the floor and approached Rayne with a grin. "Good kid! You've got guts! From now on, you're one of us in the Salt Blade! In Luminea, I've got your back. I guarantee no one will dare bully you again!"
Rayne nodded slightly, acknowledging Jason's goodwill. His face was frighteningly pale; the fierce battle and Damari's final sneak attack had clearly taken their toll.
"Get out of the way! Can't you see the boy is injured?!"
Siviel roughly shoved the chattering Jason aside and walked over to Rayne. She pushed aside the torn fabric of his tunic and gently probed his obviously deformed left shoulder.
Beads of sweat dripped from Rayne's forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut, his brow deeply furrowed, but he didn't make a sound.
A handkerchief with a faint, pleasant scent wiped the sweat from his cheek. Rayne opened his eyes to see Freya's face, close to his own, filled with encouragement and approval.
Suddenly, a cool, soothing sensation spread across his shoulder, and the pain instantly lessened.
Siviel was applying a black ointment to his injured shoulder and then wrapping it skillfully with a white gauze bandage.
"The bone is fractured, but luckily it's not completely dislocated. Try not to move it for a few days. Find a reliable healing Mage, and it will recover faster," Siviel advised Freya.
"Thank you, Sister Siviel," Freya said sincerely.
"Don't mention it," Siviel waved her hand dismissively, then patted Rayne's still-pale cheek. "Dario really found a treasure this time. This kid has a fierce toughness in his bones. He's a natural-born mercenary."
Rayne, embarrassed by the praise, gave a shy smile.
"Kid, here, it's yours now," Jason sidled up again, holding out the longsword with an envious look. "This is a Superior-Tier enchanted longsword. On the black market, it's worth at least three hundred gold coins!"
Rayne took the sword, but without giving it a second glance, he immediately handed it to Freya.
"Teacher Freya, can I give this sword to you?"
Freya was a little confused. "Why?"
"Because it's too valuable. With my current abilities, I'm not qualified to own this sword. It would only bring me trouble and danger."
Whoosh—! The onlooking mercenaries gasped in amazement. They couldn't believe a boy who looked like he was still wet behind the ears could say something so thoughtful.
"No, Rayne, I was asking why you called me 'Teacher'?" Freya looked into Rayne's eyes.
"Hmm?" A cunning smile played on Rayne's lips. He blinked. "Didn't Auntie Siviel introduce me as your magic apprentice just now?"
The Salt Blade Mercenary Legion, council hall.
Dario and Victor sat in the two large chairs at the head of the hall. Victor's face was a mask of fury, while Dario, beside him, still wore an unreadable smile.
Freya, Jason, Klaus, and the elven archer, Vaelin, sat on long wooden benches on either side. Vaelin wore an elegant smile, while Freya's face was expressionless, her blue eyes filled with worry. As for Jason and Klaus, they sat with their heads bowed like misbehaving children, not daring to breathe too loudly. Rayne stood obediently behind Freya.
"Jason! Was it you causing trouble outside again?!" Victor broke the silence, his furious gaze stabbing at the cowering Jason.
"I've been framed! Boss Victor! I swear! It really wasn't me this time!" Jason, who had just vowed to protect Rayne, leaped from his seat at Victor's accusation, pointed at Rayne, and protested loudly, "It was Rayne!"
Freya shot Jason a glare. Klaus deliberately scooted his bench away from Jason, his face screaming, "I don't know this guy."
Victor cursed, "Hmph! Jason, if you hadn't fanned the flames, why would Damari have gotten into a conflict with a child?! Half of your commission from the last mission is docked! And you're confined to headquarters for a month! Go and reflect on your actions!"
Jason wailed, tears and snot running down his face. "I'm innocent! This really had nothing to do with me! Ask Klaus if you don't believe me!"
"Me?" Klaus, who had been looking down, slowly raised his head, spread his hands innocently, and said, "I was drunk. I don't remember anything."
"Klaus! You damn traitor! All those drinks I bought you were for nothing!" Jason lunged at Klaus, but when he saw Victor's cold stare, he could only retreat sullenly to his seat.
"Rayne! Step forward!" Victor's anger, after dealing with Jason, finally turned to the instigator. "I can't believe you dared to challenge Damari in public! Are you tired of living?! Kid, let me tell you, there are many ways to die, but don't you dare drag the entire legion down with you! And you remember this, you are not yet a member of this legion! I can throw you out of here at any time!"
Rayne silently stepped out from behind Freya, saying nothing.
"Your pay is docked for three months! And for the next three months, you are not to take a single step out of here without my permission! Now, get the hell out!" Victor waved his hand impatiently.
That was... it?! Rayne's "pay" for three months was a mere three silver coins. This so-called punishment sounded more like a form of protection.
Everyone in the hall stared at Victor in astonishment.
"Thank you, Uncle Victor! I'll be good!" Rayne bowed to Victor and ran out of the council hall.
Dario watched Rayne's retreating back, his smile deepening. He turned to Victor. "Heh, old friend. Now, you must agree that this boy was the greatest prize of my mission, right?"
"The boss is wise! The boss is mighty!" Jason, seeing the storm had passed, immediately put on a fawning, sycophantic expression. He sidled up to Dario and Victor, rubbing his hands. "So... Boss Victor, about my pay... do you think we could..."
"get out—!" Dario and Victor roared at Jason in unison.