Chapter 387: High-Priced Hire

“Oh, that’s an ancient ruin in our Elven homeland. It’s perfectly normal that you haven’t heard of it,” Anastina explained, assuming Ron’s knowledge was limited. “It’s a jungle that very few people have ever set foot in. I can’t recall exactly when, but a large meteorite crashed there and caused quite a stir.”

“The Empire—this was before the Laine Clan usurped the throne—immediately sent people to investigate. They discovered a large number of fungal creatures and a strange mold, which we call ‘Red Mould’.”

“It took the Empire a long time to suppress those highly aggressive species, and they established a quarantine zone. But that couldn’t stop the intensely curious explorers. Ever since the Red Mould Ruins were discovered, countless scholars and adventurers have delved into the perilous area. A few brought back valuable information, but most of them died in there. Fortunately, the team I was hired by was among the former.”

“Oh, right. Have I not explained what Red Mould actually is? Let me tell you about it…”

“That’s not necessary. We’re familiar with it,” Ron quickly cut her off. “In fact, we’ve had encounters with that fungus. It’s extremely dangerous, and what’s worse, we likely have an area similar to the Red Mould Ruins where we are.”

“Didn’t you just say you were a bit short on cash? Perhaps we could—”

“You’re saying there’s Red Mould in Delusional Land?!” After hearing Ron, Anastina’s expression immediately turned complicated. “I don’t want to go anywhere near that stuff again. Getting it on you is no laughing matter!”

“You don’t have to worry about that!” Delaford drained the ale from his wooden mug. The goblin couldn’t stand the bland, royal-catered drinks, preferring to chug ale like water. “We already know how to deal with that stuff. It’s not that tough!”

Anastina gave Ron a disbelieving look, but he met her gaze with a firm, reassuring nod.

“Well… alright. How long will this mission take, and how much can you pay me?”

“Money isn’t an issue. You and Lady Liya are old friends, so I won’t try to lowball you. Besides, we need a guide who’s familiar with Red Mould, the Spore People, and the behavior of Thorny Beasts. Right now, our knowledge is limited to a few samples and lab experiments. What we encounter in the wild could present other problems.”

“As for the timeframe, Rose City isn’t close to Delusional Land, and the ruins are also a fair distance from our current territory. So, it will likely take a few months.”

“That’s not too long for me personally, but as a mercenary…” Anastina hesitated. “To be blunt, it still comes down to money. How about this: you pay me this much, and I’m in!”

The Elf held up five fingers and waved them in front of Ron. “To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever quoted a price this high, but Delusional Land has a nasty reputation. I need some assurance.”

“You can pay half upfront as a deposit and the other half when the mission is complete.”

“This much?” Ron glanced at Anastina’s outstretched fingers, then down at his own hand. “Isn’t that a little too expensive?”

“I promise you, Ron, she’s absolutely worth the price!” Liya quickly chimed in to support her old comrade. “As a great swordsman, Anna earned great distinction in the war against the Hailan Empire. She can definitely complete this mission flawlessly!”

“I know Aive and Miss Victoria usually protect you in battle, but doesn’t that greatly weaken your offensive power? You can’t just be on the defensive when fighting the Red Mould!”

Ron threw up his hands. “That’s a fair point, but I’ll be honest with you. Even if we wanted to, we just don’t have that kind of money to hire you right now!”

“Don’t be fooled by the fact that we’re a temporary trade hub and can produce minerals, lumber, herbs, and even Alchemy Potions. We’ve been in Delusional Land for less than a year. Five thousand Gold Coins is an enormous sum for us.”

Hearing Ron’s complaints, Anastina figured the deal was probably off. “Right, it hasn’t been easy for you. My price was indeed too high… wait a minute!”

The Elf’s eyes went wide as she stared at Ron, dumbfounded. “Y-y-you, say that again. How much did you say?!”

“Wasn’t it five thousand Gold Coins?” Ron held up five fingers, just as Anastina had done. “That was the price you quoted.”

The mineral trade with the devils had brought Delusional Land a considerable profit, but the cost of building basic infrastructure was also no small sum. Five thousand Gold Coins to hire a short-term mercenary was simply too expensive.

“Ron, I think Anastina meant five hundred Gold Coins,” Daniel sighed. “Not everyone is a Lord. A price in the thousands of Gold Coins… even Mr. Hendrix would probably have to spend several days just calculating that.”

“Five hundred?”

Ron looked at Anastina uncertainly. She just gave a stiff nod, not yet recovered from the shock of him casually mentioning five thousand Gold Coins.

“Lord Ron, if I may ask, where do you come from?”

Anastina reached up to loosen the tight collar around her neck, her voice raspy. “Perhaps your family and I have crossed paths before…”

She’d heard plenty about Delusional Land, but her past few days here made her realize most of it was just hearsay. How could a mere refugee offer five thousand Gold Coins to hire a mercenary? Even minor nobles wouldn’t dare make such an offer!

Before today, Anastina might have thought Ron was just some common human, not even worthy of a surname. But after today, she could only assume he came from some great, incognito family! The reason couldn’t be more obvious.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t comment on that,” Ron said. He figured letting them guess was harmless, and explaining would just be a waste of time and effort. “If your price is five hundred, then I believe we can have a very pleasant partnership.”

“That remains to be seen…” Anastina rolled her eyes. However old an Elf might be, she at least looked quite young and beautiful. “I’m starting to regret asking for so little. If the mission proves difficult, I might just jack up the price on the spot, you know.”

“Don’t listen to her nonsense,” Liya said, raising her glass to toast both Ron and her old comrade. “Even though she became a mercenary, her professional ethics are completely trustworthy. You can cooperate with her without any worries.”

“And as for you, Anna, don’t you underestimate them,” Liya said, giving her friend a playful nudge with her elbow. “Ron’s a part of the team that conquered Delusional Land and established a foothold there. Don’t you dare spend the whole time hiding behind them. It would be embarrassing if they outshone you.” Liya was extremely pleased with Ron’s tinctures and couldn’t help but look out for the young man a little. “If I hear that’s what happened, I’ll be demanding your commission back on behalf of Ron and my daughter!”