In the Marika continent, the age of adulthood was 20 years old.
And the age at which one could first take the mercenary exam was also 20 years old.
Because of this, the mercenary guild was always overflowing with bright-eyed 20-year-olds who, having nurtured their dream of becoming mercenaries, had trained in their own way.
Every day, about four to ten young men, each holding their own weapon and filled with hopes and dreams, came to take the mercenary exam.
If they failed the exam, they would be given another chance to retake it the following week, so it was natural to always have both new exam takers and those retaking the exam.
At the same time, because the mercenary exam was held every Friday, it was always possible for anyone to watch.
Occasionally, veterans who came to watch would spot someone and, before they knew it, would recruit them into a party or accept them as a disciple.
And today, just like every other day, the main hall of the mercenary guild on the first floor was noisy.
Mercenaries who had just completed requests, those about to leave for a new one, and those having a meal before their departure were all noisily talking.
Amidst this atmosphere, a young man, Hermann, who had just turned 20 this year, arrived at the guild to take the mercenary exam for the first time.
He clenched and unclenched his trembling hands, looking around the guild hall.
“Whew…”
“What’s wrong? Are you nervous? You seem like more of a scaredy-cat than I thought.”
As Hermann sighed and tried to calm his racing heart, a woman’s voice, accompanied by a light chuckle, asked him.
She was Dana, a childhood friend from his hometown, and also a newcomer who had come to take the mercenary exam with him.
“Dana, you’re not nervous? Just look at this atmosphere. My heart is racing just from seeing people look at us.”
“Heh, actually, I’m nervous too. But I think it’s a good thing because my heart is pounding!”
Hermann nodded, agreeing with Dana’s honest response.
But unlike Hermann, who was taking deep breaths, Dana’s face was lit up with a smile full of anticipation.
The occasional glances from the mercenaries around them, their powerful, confident stances, reminded Dana that she was standing in a place she had only dreamed of in her village.
Because of this, Dana smiled with excitement, beyond mere nervousness, and tapped Hermann on the shoulder.
“And even if we fail the exam, we can always try again next week, right? So, don’t be nervous, Hermann.”
“Whew… Yeah. I guess we’re not the only ones nervous about taking the exam.”
The main hall of the guild was crowded with mercenaries, but there weren’t many like Hermann and Dana, who were standing close to the wall.
Their equipment, which appeared almost new just by looking at it, was a clear sign that they, like others, had come to take the mercenary exam that day.
“Maybe there are just a little over ten people?”
“Some say if you pass the exam, you’ll definitely make it. But they also say the odds of a first-time mercenary passing are fifty-fifty. I guess we just have to hope luck is on our side.”
“Well, we’ve had good luck, right? So let’s not worry!”
Dana, once again patting Hermann on the shoulder and smiling brightly, encouraged him.
With her cheerful words, Hermann finally stopped trembling and nodded.
“Yeah, even if we fail the exam, there are plenty of chances!”
They were still newcomers who had never completed a proper request.
So, rather than focusing on passing, they decided to approach the exam with the mindset of learning as much as possible.
With that resolve, Hermann, now with a wider perspective, continued to wait for the start of the exam, looking around the hall.
At that moment, two figures entered through the front door of the mercenary guild.
Clunk.
“Wow… Is this the mercenary guild?”
“Heh, are you amazed, miss?”
A small girl, about 140 cm tall, and a woman holding the girl’s hand, entered the mercenary guild.
They were both wearing robes, so their faces were hidden, but just the fact that the woman brought the little girl into the mercenary guild was enough to attract the attention of the mercenaries inside.
The noise from a few places stopped, and a dozen or so mercenaries’ gazes turned toward them.
Soon after, other mercenaries followed suit, and the eyes of those around them also turned.
And in their gaze, there was a feeling of dissatisfaction, which was easy to understand without words.
“…What are they?”
“What’s with that kid in the guild…?”
“Tsk, nobles, huh…”
Although they didn’t speak loudly, murmurs that could be faintly heard spread among the mercenaries.
The reason for their reaction was simple.
To mercenaries, the mercenary guild was not a playground for childhood games.
To them, being a mercenary meant that only those who had proven their strength could receive requests and risk their lives to complete them.
In reality, since more than half of the requests were rather trivial, it could be said that they were simply errand boys who took on dangerous tasks. But that was a point of pride for mercenaries.
Of course, most mercenaries would never admit to this fact.
Anyway, to mercenaries, being a mercenary was that kind of profession, and the mercenary guild was a place only those qualified could enter.
So when they saw what appeared to be a bodyguard and a noble’s child, it was no surprise that they were dissatisfied.
Hermann and Dana, who had been leaning against the wall, whispered to each other as the atmosphere in the guild became suddenly cold.
“…Dana, this might get a little dangerous, don’t you think?”
“It’s a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing.”
The mercenaries were glaring at the woman and the child, and the woman seemed to notice the cold stares, as she stopped walking and looked around.
“Hm… The atmosphere here is worse than I expected.”
The woman muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with difficulty, but there was no sense of urgency in her tone.
Surprisingly, both the silver and gold-ranked mercenaries were glaring at them as well.
Despite the intimidating presence of such strong individuals, the woman didn’t seem frightened at all.
It wasn’t just that she was relying on her family’s influence; she appeared to have no fear of force whatsoever.
‘Well, the bodyguards of noble families probably receive good training… Maybe she’s stronger than I thought?’
As Hermann wondered this, the woman continued to scan the surroundings.
Was it the sight of the unafraid woman that triggered it? In the end, the precarious situation exploded.
“Hey, you noble wench and brat over there, do you think the mercenary guild is your playground? If you don’t want to cause more trouble, get lost now. Or should I send you off first by chopping off your head?”
With a crude curse, the silver-armored mercenary stepped forward.
And at the man’s actions, the surrounding mercenaries stared at him wide-eyed without exception.
How could he be so rude, even though it was obvious his opponent was a noble?
If things went wrong, he could be dragged away and executed without question.
Perhaps that was why the mercenaries, despite their discontent, only glared and murmured instead of taking action.
It was natural for them to be shocked at the reckless behavior of this man, who acted as if he had nothing to lose.
Of course, Hermann and Dana were no exception.
“What, what’s wrong with that guy? Is he crazy?”
“This is outright noble defamation. I’ve heard some mercenaries are wild, but I never thought I’d see it firsthand…”
A scene so shocking that their jaws unknowingly dropped.
Yet at the same time, they couldn’t take their eyes off this rare spectacle.
And within that scene, the woman who had been insulted looked down at the girl holding her hand before speaking to the man.
“You’d better apologize politely for what you just said. More importantly, you should kneel and apologize respectfully to the young lady.
Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in a position where you’d rather be dead.”
“Hah! What a load of crap. What? Kneel and apologize to this brat?”
The man crouched on the spot, glaring at the girl with a twisted expression.
Then, with a filthy grin on his face, he opened his mouth.
“This brat does look pretty decent. Maybe I’ll sell her on the black marke—”
But before he could even finish his sentence—
In a moment no one saw, the woman’s sword was drawn, still sheathed, and it moved.
Crunch.
-!!!
“…Gah?!”
A powerful strike shattered the man’s lower jaw, cutting off his vile words.
The sword, which had been aimed at the sky, swung back down and drove his skull into the ground.
Crash—!
-!!!
His face smashed into the wooden floorboards, completely destroying them.
As the woman prepared to strike again, she noticed the man barely clinging to life, wheezing for breath.
With veins bulging on the back of her hand from gripping the sword so tightly, she flicked it clean.
“Ugh… kehh…”
“Be grateful the young lady was beside me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered keeping the sheath on.”
As she shook off her sword, droplets of blood splattered onto the floor from the man’s head.
The mercenaries, who had just been shocked for one reason, now stared at the woman in awe for an entirely different reason.
“That… that’s beyond the level of a bodyguard.”
“I couldn’t even see what happened.”
“That guy’s mercenary career is over.”
As the atmosphere turned icy, the mercenaries whispered amongst themselves.
And then, after a short while—
Around three minutes later, a man came rushing down the stairs from the upper floor, catching everyone’s attention.
“Hey, sorry about that! I had something urgent to take care of, so I was a bit late!”
“For real, can’t you move faster? If I wasn’t here, you’d have gotten beaten to death by Master.”
At the sight of the man running down the stairs, the mercenaries’ eyes widened for the third time that day.
“G-Guild Master?!”
“Wait, why is the Guild Master coming down here?”
“He seems to know that noblewoman?”
But judging from their casual conversation, they weren’t just acquaintances—they seemed quite close.
The mercenaries were left bewildered, though their confusion didn’t reach the Guild Master, the woman, or the girl.
It was as if they existed in a world separate from the rest.
Within that atmosphere, the woman and the girl began ascending the stairs, following Martin.
And as the three disappeared from view, Hermann turned to Dana, who was standing beside him.
“Who… were those people?”
“…How would I know?”
Even Dana had no answer to the question.
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