Chapter 9, Transactions

Ophirok smiled and said, "I am here this time to discuss the possibility of a partnership." Instantly, the room fell silent. "These gems are worth approximately 50,000 gold coins, which I will consider as my deposit."

The golden lion took a sip of tea, its leisurely movements flawless. The guard Richard opened a small pouch and poured dozens of colorful gemstones onto the table in front of everyone.

As several individuals gradually calmed down, they exchanged glances. Aite asked, "Rog, why did you agree so quickly just now?" Rog's face flushed with embarrassment as he replied, "Ofirolok is a person of real power, one of the top nobles in the alliance, and he holds a significant territory. It's rare for someone of his stature to take an interest in us; such opportunities to curry favor are hard to come by in ordinary times." The others deeply resonated with this sentiment. As for the possibility of Ofirolok harboring treasonous intentions, Rog and the others were not particularly concerned. Even if he did betray, it would likely benefit the Duchy of Bavaria more. After all, Ofirolok's mother is the sister of the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, one of the three great powers.

Aite sat heavily in the chair, adopting a proper posture. Before he could express his thoughts, the chair could no longer withstand the weight and shattered into pieces. Aite chuckled awkwardly, feeling too embarrassed to say anything further

Yes, the Duchy of Bavaria

As the days passed, Rog and his companions were busy recruiting soldiers, thoroughly enjoying the process. The War God's Hammer had accumulated over 20,000 gold coins in the past few months, and with the additional 50,000 gold coins from Ophirok, they could equip a cavalry unit of one hundred men. Through both open recruitment and covert operations, Rog managed to gather 30 skilled mercenaries within a month, and the mercenary group was beginning to take shape. As for the name of the mercenary group, there was quite a bit of debate among the members, but ultimately, the name "Dragons and Beauties" was approved by a vote of 4 to 1. The lone dissenting vote came from Franco, the only true connoisseur of art among them, but unfortunately, he was outnumbered.

Luns rarely becomes serious. "The Duchy of Bavaria boasts elite troops and formidable generals, with strong individuals abounding. Even the few subordinates of His Excellency Ofirok could easily handle us. Although we are not particularly capable, we do possess this level of self-awareness. Moreover, none of us harbors grand ambitions; we simply enjoy drinking, entertaining women, and living a comfortable life. Surely, you do not lack for our few hands, do you?"

He paused for a moment and continued: "Considering that life is but a few decades of cold and heat, one should seek fine wine, renowned swords, and even in the midst of rivalry and jealousy, one should strive for a beauty known throughout the world. Countless ordinary women may exist, but how can they compare to a smile that can topple a city? Now, as long as one can pass a small test, the opportunity is right before us. What do you all think?"

"Perhaps we could even become founding heroes or something like that," Luns suddenly said while daydreaming. The others nodded in deep agreement. As for Kate, "We share the blessings, and we might even escape this little brat," Ait said insidiously

Ophirok cast a glance at several noble scoundrels and said, "I greatly admire the fight you had at the 'Old Oak' tavern; I believe you are individuals of great potential. Moreover, in such a short time, the War God's Hammer has thrived, which certainly cannot be attributed to mere chance. Governing a great nation is akin to cooking a small fish. Whether it is managing the world or running a weapons subsidiary, it all ultimately hinges on understanding the hearts of the people"

Rog raised his head abruptly, gazing into the golden lion's eyes. Although the brilliance stung his eyes, he showed no sign of retreat. "I did it," Rog said, word by word.

Elysiss coldly remarked: "Are you only now thinking of asking about the intelligence?" Aiden's face instantly turned crimson. Ophirok, however, answered leisurely: "That band of thieves is actually a large squad from the Ice and Snow Silver Fox Mercenary Corps of the Ron Duchy, consisting of around 500 people, and their combat capability is quite impressive. Of course, there is also the possibility that they have continued to reinforce their numbers over the past six months"

The Golden Lion smiled faintly and said, "This is merely a small test. If you succeed, I hope the Duchy of Bavaria can have more loyal ministers and capable generals"

Rog, Luns, Franco, and Ete sat somewhat uneasily, as the sudden visit of the Golden Lion truly took them by surprise. The group hurriedly invited Ophirok to take a seat and called for the best refreshments to be served.

Several individuals, their faces filled with excitement, immediately gathered around to begin studying the map, yet naturally, they could not decipher its meaning even after half a day. Ophirok maintained a smile as he observed, while one of the guards behind him subtly revealed a hint of disdain.

What left Roger at a loss was the intelligence. Up to this point, the specific number of thieves occupying that small castle, their leader, abilities, and equipment remained unclear. Even the terrain in the vicinity was not well understood. This was not entirely their fault; after all, these few individuals were just starting out and had no idea how to gather intelligence from books or other sources. After the two scouts they had sent out went missing without a trace, the group began to feel increasingly anxious. After several discussions, they finally decided to take all their personnel to conduct a reconnaissance mission.

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Elysiss suddenly stopped, coldly staring at several noble scoundrels. The few of them immediately felt a chill run through their bodies, and in an instant, they began to tremble, only to realize that they could no longer move. Elysiss let out a cold laugh, and with a flash of black flames, the bodies of the noble scoundrels slowly rose into the air. A chilling voice echoed in their ears: "I do not understand why Ophirok values you so highly. With your current strength, you are hardly better than a mere insect. Even in a few years, how much stronger can you become? Moreover, how dare you, a few clowns, look at me with such disdain!" Without uttering any incantation, a giant hand suddenly appeared above each of their heads, forcefully slamming them down to the ground.

Rog pondered for a moment and asked, "These thieves and mercenaries should not be in the eyes of the Golden Lion, right? If you were to go personally, even if it were just you alone, you could scare them away just by your presence."

Ophirok looked with great interest at several noble scoundrels, having yet to notice anyone daring to gaze at Elisis in such a lecherous manner; truly, ignorance breeds fearlessness. The eyes of Luns and the others began to reveal a lecherous glint. Ophirok could clearly sense the killing intent spreading behind him

Ophirok continued, "As long as you capture that castle, I will have my father grant you the title to that land. From then on, you will be nobles with the fief of *Tush*. Moreover, I will invest 100,000 gold coins into the War God's Hammer, which will serve as my initial capital for joining the venture. I expect to receive half of the profits, hehe"

Franco sighed, "Alas, how can I let you go to your death alone? After you die, I will have to retrieve your money, after all"

Ete suddenly looked up and asked, "We have no soldiers at all, how can we defeat a band of thieves? Ah, by the way, how many thieves are there? Is there any relevant intelligence?"

Rog struggled to divert his gaze from the gem and, after calming his emotions, said: "It seems that if you cannot accomplish this task, we also lack the ability to do so." No sooner had the words left his mouth than Luns rushed over to cover Rog's mouth, exclaiming, "Don't pay him any mind. Whatever you need, just command me. I, Luns, will not hesitate to face any peril!" His words were fervent, yet his eyes were fixed on Elisis.

Elysse turned and left, the black flames leaping as if still mocking the few people who could not rise from the ground

It is indeed a delightful affair to encounter beautiful women from all over the world! The atmosphere in the room immediately became charged with a sense of tension.

The black flames behind Ofirok burned silently. Even the brilliance of the golden lion could not conceal them. The face within the flames was strikingly beautiful and aloof, making it difficult to gaze upon, yet it was indelibly etched in one's heart. A few degenerate nobles occasionally stole glances, only to hurriedly look away, as if their eyes had been scorched by the black flames. The black mage's robe could not hide the unparalleled allure; those long, straight legs, the full hips, the willow-like waist, and the breathtakingly arched chest constantly transformed onlookers into beasts. A few degenerate nobles occasionally stole glances, only to hurriedly look away, as if their eyes had been scorched by the black flames. The black mage's robe could not hide the unparalleled allure; those long, straight legs, the full hips, the willow-like waist, and the breathtakingly arched chest constantly transformed onlookers into beasts.

In an instant, everyone was filled with fervor

Of course, my cooperation comes with conditions. Ophirok made a gesture, and a person behind him laid a large sheepskin map on the table. He pointed to a castle symbol in the center and said: "This is an abandoned small castle, part of my Bavarian duchy, which has recently been occupied by a group of bandits. This castle is located 415 miles southwest of Falburg. Less than 10 miles away is the Forest of Demons. Although its geographical location is not significant, there are two small towns and dozens of villages nearby. I do not wish to abandon my thousands of subjects, so I need you to reclaim this castle. The 50,000 gold coins in jewels will serve as your initial funding. As for whether you go yourselves or assemble a heavily armored knight brigade, that is up to you. The deadline for the commission is six months."

Franco's pupils immediately constricted: "The Duchy of Bavaria?"

"The more people we take this time, the better. I think we should also organize a mercenary group; this way, it will be easier to explain to the authorities," Franco suggested. After a brief discussion, the group began to take action separately.

The temperature in the air drops sharply, and silent undercurrents surge violently

Thus, I shall await good news. " Ophirok waved his hand and turned to leave

Under the radiance of the golden lion, almost everyone appears dim and lackluster. This is not only due to his sun-like visage, illustrious lineage, and formidable strength, but also because of his regal demeanor, which, like a spring breeze bringing rain, captivates the hearts of those around him