Chapter 33

"Hey, that's weird, isn't it, Aldis?"

Norris said, sounding exasperated.

This was a tavern in the pleasure district of Trias. At one of the tables, Aldis was meeting with Ted and the other members of the 'Morning Star of the White Night.'

Ted and the others had returned yesterday after completing a commission that took them on a half-month-long journey. Upon receiving their summons, Aldis had come to the tavern alone to report on recent events, and Norris immediately raised a question.

"What's weird about it?"

Aldis countered.

Aldis then began to recount the events since he had parted ways with Ted and the others. He talked about accepting a commission introduced by Ted and going to pick up Nere, which led to a battle. He then took Nere to the lord's mansion and completed the commission. After that, Nere had been following him around, and they had formed a temporary party to go hunting. Nere, who had no prejudice against twins, had been actively working with them. Currently, Nere, who refused to stay at an inn, was staying at Aldis's house.

"So that's what's weird."

Norris couldn't help but interject.

"Is it weird?"

"It is."

"No, no, that's not the issue."

Ted interjected from the side.

"If this Nere doesn't have a prejudice against twins, that might indeed be a good thing. But living in the same house and sharing meals is a different story, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I've been feeling the same way. She doesn't have any ill will towards the twins, which is good. And as a mercenary, she's reliable and trustworthy, which is also good. But does that mean she should stay at your house?"

Aldis, receiving criticism from three sides, paused to think. Nere was a reliable mercenary, a judgment Aldis had made based on their recent actions together.

Nere had no ill will or hostility towards the twins, so there was no need to hide their existence. However, Ted and the others were right; there was no real need to invite Nere to stay at Aldis's house.

"Indeed... Now that you mention it..."

Upon reflection, it did seem reasonable.

Nere wasn't family or someone in need of protection. They shared the rewards from their hunts, so she certainly had enough money to stay at an inn. Thinking about it, it would have been better to let her stay at an inn and only join up for work.

Aldis had been so focused on protecting the twins from ill will that he had overlooked other considerations. The surprise of Nere denying the goddess had temporarily clouded his judgment. What started as a temporary measure for shelter had somehow turned into Nere staying at his house without any questions.

Recently, the twins had started to get used to Nere. Though they didn't converse, they had grown closer, now eating at the same table.

"Well, the twins are getting used to her, so it's probably fine, right?"

"Is it fine!?"

Ted quickly interjected.

For Aldis, as long as Nere didn't take any hostile actions, there was no problem. He had an extra room, and while he didn't charge rent, Nere often paid for groceries. Whether she was serious or not, Nere treated Aldis as her master and followed him loyally. Not only was she not hostile, but she was a cooperative mercenary with no ill will towards the twins. There was no reason for Aldis to exclude her.

"Hmm... If Aldis is okay with it, maybe we shouldn't say anything."

Compared to Ted, who still seemed unconvinced, Norris had a more relaxed attitude. He wasn't the type to interfere much in others' affairs.

"By the way, Aldis, have you heard about it?"

"Heard about what, the Grinder coming down?"

"Yeah, that."

It was a topic that had been buzzing in the taverns of Trias recently. The incident began about four days ago when a large shadow was spotted flying over the grasslands by some mercenaries.

At first, the mercenaries thought it was the shadow of a bird. Seeing birds in the grasslands surrounding Trias wasn't unusual. Whether it was mercenaries or traders, anyone who had traveled through the grasslands had likely encountered the shadow of a bird circling overhead. The grasslands around Trias were home to large birds like the 'Killer Bird' and the 'Watcher,' which could be seen frequently. These were all carnivorous birds of prey. They not only gathered around the remains of traders and mercenaries but also sometimes attacked humans in groups, making them very dangerous.

However, while dangerous, they were only a significant threat to traders and civilians who lacked combat skills. For mercenaries, their strength wasn't particularly problematic. A competent mercenary could easily repel them. Unless they were attacked by a group or when weakened, they weren't a major threat.

The mercenaries who saw the bird's shadow initially thought nothing of it.

Until the next moment, when the bird dove and attacked a 'Bull.'

A Bull was a herbivorous animal about three meters long. However, it had a very aggressive temperament, and if approached carelessly, it could deliver a painful blow with its thick horns extending from its head.

The mercenaries watching the shadow from the sky quickly realized their mistake. The Killer Birds and Watchers had wingspans of about one meter at most. However, the shadow that attacked the Bull was about the same size as the three-meter-long Bull.

In an instant, the shadow killed the Bull, wrapped its wings around the body, and began to move in small, quick motions, likely pecking at the Bull's flesh.

The mercenaries immediately fled the scene and reported to the guards in Trias. Similar reports continued to come in. Based on the eyewitness accounts, it was concluded that the shadow belonged to a Grinder.

"I've heard about it, but... Is it really credible? I've never heard of a Grinder coming down from the Canobis Mountains."

Aldis said skeptically.

"It's hard to believe, but there are many eyewitnesses. Plus, they think they've found a possible cause."

"What's the cause?"

Ted interjected.

"Apparently, the number of Despairs and Beast Kings attacking mercenaries has decreased recently. While it's good news for new mercenaries who can hunt safely, if the number of Despairs and Beast Kings has actually decreased..."

"So what if they've decreased?"

"Without predators, the prey population doesn't decrease as easily. While it won't increase immediately, fewer prey will be eaten. The grasslands will likely be filled with more herbivores than before. Some people think this has made the grasslands an attractive hunting ground for the Grinder, causing it to travel from the Canobis Mountains."

If what Norris had heard was true, Aldis might bear some responsibility.

Aldis had been hunting Despairs and Beast Kings in large numbers even before teaming up with Nere. Since then, their efficiency had increased dramatically. In the past half-month, they had hunted over fifty Despairs, and the number of Beast Kings was too many to remember. Their overhunting might have affected the grassland ecosystem.

On the other hand, Aldis also felt a sense of resignation. If a Grinder appeared, he could take it down as a side job, but he didn't feel obligated to go out of his way to hunt it. He'd rather sleep at home. This made his tone somewhat indifferent.

"So what? It's not our problem, right?"

"Not exactly."

Aldis frowned at Norris's response. From experience, when Norris spoke this way, the content was rarely good.

"For traders and caravans, the safety of the roads is a matter of life and death. The ruling class can't afford to ignore it either. It's a security issue."

Norris was right. Ensuring the safety of the roads was the lord's duty. If it became too risky to transport goods, fewer traders and caravans would travel, leading to higher prices in Trias.

Unlike Despairs and Beast Kings, the Grinder could fly. Its range was much wider, and worse, it was strong enough to treat the Despair of the Grasslands like a child. If left unchecked, it would soon cause casualties and disrupt logistics.

"So, the lord's army is forming a hunting party soon."

Aldis was impressed by the army's quick response. While he didn't have a good relationship with the lord's army, they didn't seem to be a group of lazy incompetents. Perhaps the lord was capable. Either way, Aldis couldn't judge the lord's abilities, as he had never met him.

"The core of the hunting party will be the lord's army, but to be thorough, they're also recruiting famous mercenaries based in Trias. So, old man!"

Norris called out, and the tavern owner slowly approached the table from behind the counter.

"I think Norris has already told you, but we've received a named request for the 'Morning Star of the White Night.' The client is the lord. The content is to join the Grinder hunting party. The participation reward is three gold coins per day. Ten gold coins for discovering the Grinder, and fifty gold coins as an additional reward for a successful hunt."

The three gold coins for participation were for the entire party. While it might be a decent amount for a regular mercenary, it felt low to Aldis, who usually earned more than ten gold coins a day.

It was probably the same for Ted and the others. With their skills, they could earn more than five gold coins a day depending on the commission.

"Are you guys going to accept it?"

Aldis asked Ted, considering the reward.

"The reward for the hunt is tempting, but I don't think it will be that easy to find. Honestly, I'm not too keen on it..."

Ted's tone suggested he wasn't very enthusiastic.

"Refusing a named request from the lord isn't a good idea in the long run."

The tavern owner warned, and Ted reluctantly agreed.

"Yeah... Plus, even if we encounter the Grinder, it's uncertain if we can defeat it. But if Aldis joins, we might stand a chance."

"So, we're thinking of accepting the request based on Aldis's decision."

Norris continued, looking at Aldis.

Aldis propped his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand, thinking for a moment before asking the tavern owner.

"Do we have to be under the command of the lord's army?"

"No, they'll likely operate in small groups. The mercenary parties won't act with the lord's army."

The lord's army probably didn't intend to rely on mercenaries. They likely expected them to spot the Grinder and slow it down. Once the search areas were assigned, they would be left to their own devices.

"Then it's fine... But what about Nere?"

Aldis would be relieved not to have to deal with the arrogant general of the lord's army. As the 'Morning Star of the White Night,' giving a bad impression to the lord wouldn't be wise. It would be better to cooperate actively for the benefit of future activities. However, there was one concern.

"Can Nere come along?"

Nere, who had been his constant companion recently, would be left alone if Aldis joined the hunt. Given Nere's nature, she would likely follow him anyway.

"It depends on how useful she is."

Ted was right; they didn't need dead weight. The participation reward was for the entire party, so more people meant less share. While Ted and the others weren't obsessed with money, they weren't so kind as to bring along a useless eater.

"I'll vouch for her. She's strong enough to hunt a Whip alone."

"If that's the case, she won't be a hindrance. Alright, we'll accept her as part of the 'Morning Star of the White Night.'"

Satisfied with Aldis's answer, Ted decided to accept the request.

"Got it. So, we'll participate as the 'Morning Star of the White Night' with five members?"

The tavern owner, looking relieved, summarized the discussion and returned to the counter.

2016/12/23 Typo correction: "participation reward" (参加報酬) instead of "participation reward" (参稼報酬)

*Thank you for the correction in the comments. I wonder how that typo happened...