Chapter 254: This Place Is Under Our Control (1)
KABOOM!
The massive fortress gates swung open. Ghislaine and the knights casually strolled inside the fortress.
Here, no one checks identities. The law of this place is that it neither stops those who come nor catches those who leave.
Once inside the fortress, newcomers merely need to follow a few simple rules:
– Murder is forbidden within the fortress.
– No regard is given to social status within the fortress.
– No one can forcibly drag another person outside the fortress.
Other issues are left to the hunters to resolve among themselves.
The Turian Kingdom constantly battles monsters and needs to gather hunters. If the aristocracy’s authority is acknowledged, the fragile balance currently maintained will shatter.
If nobles can freely kill hunters and forcibly drag them off as criminals, it would be a great loss for the Turian Kingdom.
“Hunters should die fighting monsters, not through treachery.”
The Turian Kingdom firmly held this stance and strongly sanctioned foreign nobles as well.
Because of this, many criminals wandering the continent snuck into the fortresses of the Shadow Mountain Range.
Inside the fortress, it looked no different from an ordinary city. It was just that the facilities were a bit grimy and shabby, with blood smeared everywhere.
“Ugh, disgusting.”
“This city feels like the middle of a battlefield.”
“If we stay too long, we’ll catch something.”
The knights, accustomed to the clean and pleasant territories, clicked their tongues as they surveyed their surroundings.
The attire of the hunters varied widely. Most wore standard armor, but some sported gear made from monster bones or leather.
As new arrivals appeared, the hunters glared at Ghislaine and the knights with a cocky demeanor.
They had all fought monsters for their lives for a long time and radiated a feral intensity.
“Hmm.”
Seeing the hunters, Ghislaine wore a pleased smile.
He quite liked this atmosphere. If a good opportunity arose, it was time for some refreshing action.
The knights accompanying Ghislaine were just as hot-tempered as the hunters.
“What are you glaring at? You little punks.”
Kaor sneered and stared down the hunters. The other knights followed suit.
If this were back when they did mercenary work, they might have been intimidated by the hunters’ ferocity, but they had changed. They had become hardened through numerous wars, fitting the term ‘butchers’ perfectly.
“Hehe, looks like some nobles have arrived.”
“I wonder what they’re doing here?”
“Those armors would fetch a good price, wouldn’t they?”
Despite Ghislaine’s party’s sharp reactions, the hunters merely observed them with sinister grins.
Everyone was wearing the same armor.
They couldn’t take action easily until they figured out whether the individuals were officially dispatched from the kingdom.
Thanks to that, a fight didn’t break out right away. Ghislaine headed toward the central building of the fortress without paying any mind to the hunters. Kaor and the knights followed him with high-spirited expressions.
The central building was where they issued hunter IDs and got signatures agreeing to the laws of the place.
The Knight of Turian checked Ghislaine’s identification and said nonchalantly, “Noble status is not recognized here. It means even a lowly slave is equal to a Count. Do you agree?”
“I agree.”
“If a dispute arises, we won’t intervene. Do you agree?”
“I agree.”
“Murder is prohibited. Though sometimes people die by accident during duels… fundamentally, it’s a prohibitive matter. Do you agree?”
“I agree.”
“In that case, please sign here. I will register you on the hunter list and send the agreement straight to the royal palace.”
Ghislaine confidently stamped his seal on the documents. From now on, he was just a hunter, not a noble.
Once Ghislaine’s agreement was received, the Knight of Turian provided final instructions.
“We merely manage this fortress to ensure it maintains minimal functions. We won’t interfere unless you mess with us or this building. If issues arise with the hunters, you’ll have to resolve them yourselves. We can’t offer any help.”
“Got it. I haven’t secured lodging yet; can I leave my horse here for a bit?”
“Since it’s your first visit, we can allow that level of convenience.”
“Good, then hurry up and find a place to stay. Well, I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other often.”
At that, the Knight of Turian wore a shady smile.
“Welcome to the lawless zone. I hope you enjoy your stay and return safely.”
As Ghislaine completed his registration and stepped out, a guy who looked like a rat approached him.
“You look like you’re new here. Did you register as a hunter?”
“Yeah.”
The guy smiled satisfactorily at Ghislaine’s words. The hunters around them gleamed with interest.
They weren’t officially dispatched from the kingdom. The rat-like man spoke with a look that said there was nothing to fear now.
“Even though this place is a lawless zone, it’s still a place where people live, isn’t it?”
“So?”
“Naturally, where people live, ‘law and order’ develop.”
“Oh, so you want me to pay?”
Ghislaine’s blunt remark caught the man off guard, but he quickly regained his composure. He might have understood easily due to hearing rumors about this place.
“It’s good that you get straight to the point. There’s an organization here called the ‘Hunter Cooperative.'”
“What a ridiculous name for an organization.”
“It was established to protect each other’s rights among hunters. It’s best to join. There’s a small registration fee and a monthly association fee, though.”
Ghislaine stroked his chin for a moment before asking, “Who do I pay that to?”
“I said it’s the association fee, right?”
“Who’s the head of that association?”
“That would be the ruler of this place, ‘Doncard, the King of Ironcliff.'”
Ghislaine nodded. There really are a lot of kings in the world. After all, kings are attached to names too, so why not to people?
These kinds of shenanigans are amusing, both in his past life and now.
“What are the benefits of joining?”
“Hehe, you’ll be able to stay comfortably here. No one will bother you. You can focus solely on monster hunting.”
“Are you guys robbers?”
“Huh?”
“I can’t forgive robbers. I despise those who take what belongs to others by force.”
“What are you… Ugh!”
Without saying another word, Ghislaine swung his fist. The rat-like man tried to resist, but there was no way he could.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Ack! Ugh! If you touch me! I’m the king here…”
“Bring him on. Let me see that king’s ugly mug.”
“Cough! Please spare me!”
The rat-like man collapsed and fainted after just a few hits. Ghislaine, with a smug expression, rifled through his pockets and grabbed a few coins.
“This is compensation for the ‘mental damage’ I suffered from nearly being robbed as soon as I arrived. Try to behave next time.”
Hunters watching nearby looked astonished. It was rare for someone to beat up a person right upon arrival, let alone someone sent by Doncard, who was called the king here.
No matter how foul-tempered one might be, shouldn’t the name ‘king’ at least prompt some retreat? They should assess the situation first before fighting or negotiating.
Yet here he was, swinging his fists out of displeasure; he seemed to be beyond just your average hothead.
‘Did he bring a lot of subordinates, making him fearless?’
‘Doncard must have over 300 people under him.’
‘Looks like we’re in for some entertaining sights soon. Doncard won’t just sit back.’
All the hunters shared that thought. They didn’t see the knights accompanying Ghislaine as real knights.
Logically, a great lord leading 50 knights wouldn’t just show up in a place like this.
‘He probably just dressed them up nicely to look the part. Looks like he has plenty of money.’
That was the extent of their thoughts.
If Ghislaine’s group were smaller, the hunters nearby might’ve picked a fight with them like Doncard’s subordinates. After all, they needed to establish hierarchy with the newcomers.
But facing 50 people was daunting, so they let it slide for now.
Hearing the murmurs around him, Kaor lowered his voice and asked Ghislaine, “Are you okay? If they all team up, it seems like they’ll be quite numerous. I guess this Doncard or whatever is the leader here.”
“Are you scared?”
“I’m not scared at all!”
Kaor snapped back. He was used to turf wars, having dealt with his share in mercenary circles.
It wasn’t fear that made him cautious; he just didn’t have a clear grasp of the fortress’s situation yet. If a person was called a king, he likely had many subordinates.
He’d have confidence in winning if it came to a fight anyway. Really.
Seeing Kaor sulking, Ghislaine chuckled and continued, “Once they know who’s on top, they’ll naturally flock to us. We just need to show our strength. For those who live outside the law, fists come first. Let’s find a place to stay.”
This place had everything one would expect from a city, as merchant groups came to provide various needs for the hunters.
Retired hunters gradually opened shops to make a living too.
Prices were significantly high compared to other cities due to the risk of being wiped out by monsters and the general scarcity of supplies.
Ghislaine strode over to the biggest inn without asking anyone.
Curious, the knights following him asked.
The knights following him were curious and asked.
“How does the lord know the roads so well?”
“And he knows how to register as a hunter too.”
“Have you been here before?”
Ghislaine nodded and answered.
“I know this place well. Especially Ironcliff, I’ve been here often.”
In his previous life, Ghislaine’s mercenary group frequented this fortress the most because it had the highest number of monsters.
Whenever he needed quick cash, he would bring his followers and sweep through the mountain range. He also trained here alone for long periods.
So Ghislaine had special memories tied to this place.
‘There was a special guy too.’
One day, someone who would be called the Seven Strong for the continent would be here in the Turian Kingdom. While he has not shown any significant prowess yet, during the Age of Turmoil, his name will soon echo far and wide.
‘If I get the chance, let’s have a go at it.’
Ghislaine wore a satisfied smile.
Defeating Duke Delphine and preparing for the Age of Turmoil was his top priority.
However, fighting the strong was also an important goal for him. He truly wanted to seize the title of the strongest on the continent this time.
The knights, seeing Ghislaine’s pleased expression, thought to themselves.
“The lord seems to spew out lies the moment he opens his mouth.”
“No way he hasn’t been anywhere at his age, acting like the know-it-all.”
“The chief officer must have done all the research and brought him the info.”
While they acknowledged his remarkable abilities and fantastic knowledge, it was becoming rather annoying given all the nonsense he kept talking.
They wanted to argue back, but that would only lead them into special training, so the knights just kept their mouths shut. Staying silent seemed to bring them peace of mind.
The inn they visited was a large building that could easily accommodate over a hundred people. Though it looked like a patchwork of various add-ons, the fact that it was the biggest was what mattered.
Ghislaine nodded as he looked at the building’s exterior.
“Indeed, this is the largest. Let’s use this as our base.”
Kaor nodded in agreement.
“Should we rent out the whole place?”
“Let’s just go inside first.”
As they opened the door, a rough-looking middle-aged man was yawning while wiping a cup. Around him, there were quite a few hunters lazily playing cards or drinking.
The inn’s interior was quite dirty. It was old, dark, and bugs and mice were scurrying about on the floor.
Nevertheless, the hunters seemed accustomed to it, resting comfortably.
The innkeeper squinted at the group storming in.
“First time here? We’re not open for business, so get out.”
Despite the large number of hunters present, he claimed they weren’t open for business. It was clear he was just using the place as a hideout.
Ghislaine tilted his head and approached the innkeeper.
“With so many customers, you’re not going to do business?”
“Whether we do business or not is our choice.”
The innkeeper set down the cup and glared at Ghislaine. If he knew whose territory this was, he wouldn’t dare to step foot inside.
Newcomers were always a hassle. It was irritating.
He waved his hands to shoo them away when Ghislaine spoke first.
“Relax, we’re not here for any trivial matters. We just came because this place is the biggest.”
“Then why are you here?”
Ghislaine raised his chin proudly and looked at the innkeeper.
“Starting today, this place is under our management.”
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