Chapter 5: Preparations
“So, now we just wait for your family to arrive?” Nuo said thoughtfully.
“Yes.” Eleanor said confidently. “You know, the Church can’t restrict believers from absorbing supernatural power, but it strictly prohibits believers from taking potions to become Transcendents.”
“I just need to tell them that I’m already a Transcendental, and my family will definitely help me conceal my heretical identity. Then they won’t force me to risk exposure by marrying other nobles, nor can they force me into a monastery.”
“The best solution is naturally for me to inherit a piece of the family’s fief. This way, I can have my own income and not worry about exposing my Transcendental identity.”
“Is that so?” Nuo said slowly. “Then if your father allows you to inherit the fief…”
“Will you leave us then?”
Eleanor froze, seemingly not having thought about this before, then forced a smile:
“Yes. I am a Duke’s daughter, after all. I can’t… be a mercenary for my whole life, right?”
“Ellie.” Nuo hugged her gently, her voice choked with emotion. “I really hope you can achieve your dream, but I don’t want you to leave…”
“Nuo.” Eleanor patted her back comfortingly. “Even if I leave, I’ll still be a part of Azure Longsword. My fief will always welcome everyone back to rest.”
The two girls hugged each other and cried, the atmosphere thick with emotion. Medea watched from the side, feeling disgusted, and thought to herself:
As if you’ve already convinced your family and successfully obtained the fief.
She was calculating something when she saw Asker teleport beside her.
“It’s settled.” Asker said. “Gather everyone, we’re preparing to enter the town.”
“Wait.” Medea used her mental communication to report Eleanor’s situation.
“Oh.” Asker said.
“Not surprised?” Medea asked.
“Quite surprised.” Asker said.
“Not worried?” Medea asked again.
“Not worried.” Asker replied. “You know the historical trend for the next few years, right?”
Medea paused, then immediately understood.
The Holy Roman Civil War.
At that time, the Dukes would be fully preparing for war, conscripting troops everywhere in their vassals’ territories. Where would they find the time to grant additional territories to their children?
Give it to you, and you’ll handle the conscription? You’ve just become a lord, do you even understand the situation in your own territory?
“Old fox.” Medea commented with a smile. “Looks like I was worrying too much.”
“It has nothing to do with being an old fox.” Asker said. “There are tides in every era, and one cannot go against the tide.”
“In the next few years, being a mercenary will yield the greatest benefits, because they wander everywhere, participate in anomalies across the continent, seize supernatural power from them, and rapidly improve their level and strength.”
“On the contrary, the so-called lords and vassals are naturally bound to their own territories, perfectly missing all the opportunities brought by the rising magic tide.”
“As the overall strength comparison between feudal lords and mercenaries tilts, a new storm will soon be stirred up. Don’t look down on Eleanor now needing to consider her family’s attitude. In a few years, perhaps the entire family will rely on her existence to survive.”
“Is that so?” Medea was also a little tempted. “Then can I also…”
“As long as you reach the demigod level, no matter which country you serve in a few years, obtaining the status of a great noble is absolutely no problem.” Asker said. “Of course, by then, titles will no longer be important. What’s important is how to ensure your own level continues to grow and not fall behind in the competition among the world’s top Transcendents.”
“After all, strength is everything.”
“Understood.” Medea replied cheerfully. “Now, should I gather everyone?”
“Yes.” Asker said. “Let’s set off as soon as possible.”
…
In the previous meeting, the cabinet ministers representing the Duke of Carinthia had already reached a consensus with the mercenaries.
This anomaly would be handled by the mercenaries.
The reason was simple. Ordinary people were powerless against supernatural anomalies.
Asking the Church to send the Templar Order was the fastest way, followed by finding experienced Transcendents to resolve it.
However, the relationship between Emperor Otto of the Holy Solomon Empire and the Church was already extremely hostile. The Duke of Carinthia chose not to report to the Church and bring the Templar Order into his territory to resolve the anomaly, which clearly showed his stance – he chose to support Emperor Otto.
Of course, this was just a subtle political statement, not enough for the Church to excommunicate him.
However, if the Duke of Carinthia let the Transcendents under his command appear publicly, the Church would inevitably see it as a challenge on the heretical level and break ties with the Duchy of Carinthia.
Therefore, the Duke of Carinthia neither planned to seek help from the Church nor could he use the Transcendental forces he had secretly cultivated. Seeking help from mercenaries was the fastest solution.
Mercenaries had no scruples. They had no ID, no household registration, and wandered between various countries. Even if the Transcendental identity of someone in the group was accidentally exposed, they could just start a chase with the local Templar Knights and Witch Hunters.
As long as I run fast enough, you can’t catch me.
Then they could flee to other countries, change their names, and live peacefully for a few years. The Church wouldn’t mobilize the entire continent’s forces to track down and capture a single minor Transcendental.
Therefore, the Duke of Carinthia provided the money, and the mercenaries resolved the anomaly while bearing the risk of exposing their own heresy. It was a win-win situation.
In addition to Azure Longsword and the Iron Cross, the mercenary groups participating in suppressing this anomaly included:
The West Frankish “Free Wind” mercenary group, whom they had encountered before.
The Venetian “Golden Bullet” mercenary group.
The Iberian “Bull” mercenary group.
The Kalmar “Viking” mercenary group.
The Britannian “Fleur-de-lis” mercenary group.
Besides these major mercenary groups, nearly a hundred small mercenary teams also signed up to participate in suppressing the anomaly. Of course, the price was incomparable to that of the major mercenary groups – the major groups negotiated a buyout price with the Duchy of Carinthia, while the small groups were simply offered a base price by the Duchy, take it or leave it.
As an unknown group, Azure Longsword was originally only eligible for the base price, but Andrea strongly advocated for them, relying on the reputation and guarantee of the Iron Cross, and secured a buyout price for Asker.
The remuneration was much higher than that of ordinary mercenary tasks, which only showed how wealthy the noble lords were.
So the mercenary groups began to enter the site of the anomaly, the small town of Runefield, from different directions.
The reason for entering separately was also for secrecy. After all, this was the territory of the Solomon Catholic Church. If the Transcendental identity of someone in the group was exposed in battle and reported anonymously to the Church by a competitor, it would be very troublesome.
Large mercenary groups, being high-profile, disdained such despicable acts, but small mercenary groups were unpredictable – there were all kinds of oddballs out there.
“Listen up.” Standing on the outskirts of Runefield, Asker announced to the girls, “This time we will split into two teams for combat.”
“Eh?!” The girls exclaimed in surprise.
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