Chapter 04: Entering the city

One kilometer away from the Black Forest, on the west side of the Theocracy of Ilios. There was a very busy town called Bernadock. With high and robust walls that enveloped the entire city, making it look like a great fortress.

And in that city several horsemen were receiving and supervising several travelers who came from the four directions of the walls of the city. Being most of these mercenary travelers and wandering merchants from other cities.

At the west gate of the town of Bernadock.

A group of twenty horsemen were stationed in front of the city gate, doing a quick check on the mercenaries returning from their hunt in the black forest.

The person in charge of this check was Boris, a gentleman in his thirties, who was sitting in a chair with one of his elbows on top of a small wooden table, while holding and reading a notebook that contained a huge list of names.

(Boris): "Ironheart, you are a group of mercenaries who left the city two months ago to hunt and bring back the corpse of a golden ram that resides in some small mountains of the black forest… Did you complete your mission? "

Directing his gaze to a group of five mercenaries who were in front of his table, Boris saw one of them approach with a large bag, placing it on the table before opening it and pulling out the golden ram's head.

(Bóris): "Very good, Baron Borges will be very pleased"

(Bóris): "But something bothers me, weren't you a group of seven? Where are the other two? "

(Iron Heart Group Member): ".... Died under the flames of an angry ancient dragon within the forest"

(Bóris): "Ah, my condolences. I didn't know they had encountered such difficulties."

(Ironheart Group Member): "Alright, as mercenaries we are already used to some casualties occurring in the group"

(Boris): "But this is a problem for us, since you are one of the few three-star mercenary groups currently in the city. So I would like them to be a little more careful as they are a valuable resource for this city."

(Ironheart Group Member): ".... Understood, we'll keep that in mind on our next hunts"

"Haha, that's the spirit. You can go now": Boris said while sketching a smile.

Receiving Boris' permission, the group collected the bag containing the animal's corpse. And gave a light salute before leaving.

Watching the group of mercenaries leave, Boris faded his smile and gave an order to a knight next to him.

(Bóris): "Call the next group"

Heeding Boris's order, the rider looked toward a short line not far from them and called loudly for the next group.

(Knight): "Next group! "

Responding to the knight's call, two people left the queue and walked towards Boris's table.

As the two approached the table, Boris glanced in their direction. And he saw that one of them was a teenager and the other was a tall man.

The teenager was a fourteen year old boy with orange hair and blue eyes, wearing light leather armor with a short sword strapped to his waist.

The man was wearing a leather cloak that covered his entire body to the length of his feet, along with a hood that covered his entire head and face, making it difficult to see his face.

Taking the lead, the teen raised his right hand and greeted Boris across the table, while barely smiling.

(Sorin): "Hi, Boris"

(Bóris): "Sorin, how good, that you managed to return safely"

(Bóris): "I was worried, since your master decided to throw you alone into the dark forest, assigning you such a ridiculous mission to kill a class 3 monster. But… Did you succeed? "

(Sorin): "No"

(Bóris): "Haha, yes, obviously not. After all, slaying such a monster is too much for even a novice apprentice of a famous mage. Haha! "

Removing a small leather bag from inside the armor that protected his chest, Sorin took two small copper coins from the bag and placed them on Boris's desk.

(Boris): "Two copper coins? "

(Sorin): "Yes, one to pay my entrance and the other to pay my friend's entrance"

(Bóris): "Your friend? "

Directing his gaze to the hooded man standing a little behind Sorin, Boris placed a hand on his chin before rising from his chair and walking towards him.

Reaching out to the hooded man, Boris stood beside him. And she glared at him before pulling her cape off, revealing the face of a handsome red-haired young man in his early twenties.

Seeing the red-haired young man's face, Boris shifted his gaze to the sunny sky and then returned his gaze to the young man's face.

(Boris): "Red eyes? How rare"

(Sorin): "He, He is an acquaintance of my master, whom I accidentally met in the forest"

(Bóris): "An acquaintance of your master? "

Upon hearing what Sorin said, all the knights, including Boris, were astonished. And they looked at the red-haired young man, expressing a little fear.

(Bóris): "I see, now things make sense"

Giving the young redhead a flattering smile, Boris rubbed one hand over the other and spoke to the young man in an apologetic tone.

(Boris): "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, we didn't know that you were an acquaintance of the supreme mage Hazard"

(Young Red-Haired Man): "..."

(Bóris): "Do you have a name? "

(Drozz): ".... My name is Drozz"

(Boris): "Oh, Mr. Drozz. As an apology for the inconvenience we will let you both pass without further questioning or tax collection. What do you think? "

Hearing Boris' proposal, the young red-haired man looked at Sorin and saw his anxious appearance that appeared to be afraid of something.

(Drozz): "Okay, I'll accept your proposal"

(Bóris): "I thank you"

(Drozz): "Sorin, let's go"

(Sorin): "Ah, yes"

Taking back the two small copper coins he had placed on the table, Sorin hastily followed the young red-haired man as he left.

Seeing the two of them go, Boris's smile disappeared from his face. And then a rider approached him.

(Boris): "Inform the baron. And investigate the new guest"

Hearing Boris' words, the knight gave a slight nod before leaving the place.

***

Finishing crossing the drawbridge at the entrance to the city, Sorin and the young man with the red hair walked through the entrance to the city. And they walked down the road with Sorin leading the way.

(Young Red-Haired Man): "Your master looks famous"

(Sorin): "Ah, yes, he is"

(Young Red-Haired Man): "Is he the reason for your concern? "

(Sorin): "Well, I used my master's name in one of my personal problems. So I don't know how he's going to react when he finds out."

(Young Red-Haired Man): "Is your master in this city? "

(Sorin): "No, he left this town, as soon as he abandoned me in the forest"

(Young Red-Haired Man): "Then, there's no reason to worry about him. Since you are with me now"

(Sorin): "Haha, you're right"

(Sorin): "Mister Bruno, can I ask you a question? "

(Bruno): "What is it? "

(Sorin): "Why did you lie, when they asked you your name? "

(Bruno): "Because I didn't want to allow a powerful magician to curse me using my real name as a trigger for the spell"

Hearing Bruno's words, Sorin's eyes widened and he looked at him in surprise.

(Sorin): "Is that possible? "

(Bruno): "For some mages of great power, yes"

(Well, at least that's what Drozz's lore said. By showing me memories of the arduous battles he had before becoming a god. And in these memoirs it is highlighted that the curse of these wizards has always been a headache in their wars in the mortal world)

(Sorin): "I see, so, shall I call you Drozz now? "

(Bruno): "Yes, it will be better if you call me that for a while"

(Sorin): "Understood, Mister Drozz"

Seeing that Sorin had calmed down, Bruno looked at the landscape around him and saw several people wearing rags, which would barely be considered clothes, traveling in that region.

And of those poorly dressed people, Bruno saw some of them shitting or pissing on the floor. Making him divert his gaze to the houses in the area, which were in poor condition and full of holes.

(Sorin): "The areas closest to the west gate of the city are the poorest in Bernadock"

Noticing Bruno's curious look, Sorin provided a little information about the local area.

(Bruno): "Why is this the poorest part of the city? If it is close to the entrance, there should be a very strong trade network in this region"

(Sorin): "Well, indeed, something like this has been tried in the past. But since the west gate is the closest to the black forest, cases of monsters jumping over the wall at night to attack this region have become a regular occurrence. And even with the knights subduing these monsters, the damage caused by the battle in the place made it unfeasible for nobles and merchants to invest in that area."

(Sorin): "As a consequence of this, the knights became less interested in maintaining the rigor of their patrol. Even because, who usually uses this gate are the mercenaries and knights who go to the dark forest"

As Bruno listened to Sorin's explanation, a man bumped into Bruno as he walked by.

And when the man tried to run his course, Bruno grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, causing the man to stumble and fall beside him.

Bash!

(Unknown Male): "Hey! What do you think you are doing? "

Twisting!

(Unknown Man): "Ah! "

By twisting the man's right wrist, the right hand that was closed opened. Dropping a yellow orb the size of a marble into the palm of Bruno's left hand.

(Sorin): "Due to the lack of patrols in the region, crimes such as theft have become very common around here"

Looking at the yellow orb in his hand, Bruno listened to Sorin's explanation, until the pleadings of the thief he was holding rang in his ear.

(Thief): "Oh, I'm sorry man, I won't rob you anymore. So please let me go"

Crack!

(Thief): "AAAAAH...!!!"

Squeezing the thief's right wrist, Bruno crushed the bones in his wrist, opening a huge slit in the wrist that spurted great jets of blood.

Releasing the thief's wrist, Bruno let him thrash around on the ground as he walked over to Sorin.

(Bruno): "Sorin, quickly guide me to a place where I can exchange the monster core of the Boar I killed. Because I'm tired of this place

(Sorin): "Oh, yes! As you wish"

Stunned by the brutal scene that unfolded in front of him, Sorin gave Bruno a quick response. Before taking the lead, he raced down the road, while being followed by Bruno.