Chapter 23: Baron Tell

The leader called Grizelle, who was the magician and the most important person for this job.

Grizelle was already on her way to the spot way before the leader instructed her to do so.

The spot where Grizelle was standing was a spot that could be called the center of the land, not the forest. Meaning, they weren't that deep inside the forest.

"Spread!"

An order came out, and the group, except for Grizelle, spread out in the area to keep watch of the surroundings.

While they were busy scanning the area, Grizelle was already doing her job.

The crystal ball on her hand was shining brightly, but her magic covered it. The magic was used to prevent leaks of light so the forest inhabitants wouldn't find them.

The leader was just watching her with calm eyes. Although on the outside, she looks like she's doing nothing, this moment was actually the most crucial part in using the Limiter.

The Limiter was a great creation of a renowned magician. However, not all can use it proficiently.

It has many uses, but in the current times, it is mainly used for knowing a place's danger level and knowing an individual's mana pool.

In this case, Grizelle was using the Limiter to know the forest's maximum mana level. After all, mana is equivalent to an individual's strength or rank, be it monsters or humans.

Previously, when a magician used a Limiter to know the forest's danger level, the mana was so low that you could count it as zero. However, a new threat has appeared in this place, making it dangerous.

That's not all. When the news was brought to the people in power in Haroldus kingdom, they were in shock.

For many years, the forest was considered a low-level place, making it best for young ones to train here.

No matter how much the upper ups of the Haroldus kingdom thought about it, the situation in the forest was strange.

Furthermore, it was known to the locals that the forest had a village of the Suckus somewhere in it; however, the people only thought they were pushovers of their race and thought nothing of it.

A member of the Suckus monster race is born as a rank 1 monster, and as they grow up, their ranks would naturally increase until they hit the absolute peak of their race, which is rank 4.

That was why it was weird. There's no way the pushovers would be the only ones inhabiting the forest when the Suckus was known to prioritize their own.

They would undoubtedly have protectors who will be rank 2 or above. However, when a magician used a Limiter, they only found out that it was a weak forest.

No matter how stupid or undeveloped a brain one has, one would find this fact weird and have some doubts about the forest.

And the one to take action to confirm their doubts about the forest was Grizelle. Though she only accepted the job and found others who were like-minded.

After some time passed, Grizelle was able to finish her job without having trouble.

"I'm done."

Grizelle spoke with a calm voice as her pink lips, which was the only part that could be seen of her face, moved.

"So, how is it? Is it a rank 5?"

"No."

"T-then, rank 6?"

Grizelle shook her head.

"W-what is it? Don't tell me, 7?!"

The leader's voice and body trembled in fear as he imagined meeting a rank 7 monster here in the forest.

His eyes that were full of fear looked straight ahead at Grizelle, urging her to tell him already.

"It's not rank 4, rank 6, or even 7. It's the same."

"The same? What do you mean?"

"Rank 0."

Rank 0.

This term is given to those who could be called as someone who is beneath the ordinary people. Meaning, they don't even have any strength needed to live a poor life.

"What? Didn't they say a strong monster was living in here?"

The leader was dumbfounded at this revelation of Grizelle. They were here to reevaluate the forest, to only get the same rank as the previous evaluation.

It was an absurd situation, no matter how much the leader thought about it.

"I don't know. The Limiter could only detect monsters of that level in this forest. I don't understand as well."

Grizelle put the Limiter inside her clothes as she talked. She didn't show any change of emotions at all.

"Anyway, let's get out of here. We already did the job and the Limiter still has the results on it."

"G-got it."

The leader man eyed the scout, and the scout gave some hand signals to warn the other members of their group.

Soon, the group moved fast. Their speed was incomparable to the one they had when they were entering the forest.

After just a few minutes, they exited the forest and went back to the town.

****

The group got back in the town by morning. The forest wasn't that dangerous, so they could go in and out as they please, but that isn't the case for the roads.

There were monsters and even humans who are waiting to attack people crossing the famous and unknown lands.

Even the group had to be vigilant about it as one mistake can lead to one's death.

The town they went to was called Kardeum. Kardeum is the town where the house of Baron Tell governs. It was the center of many villages and some smaller towns.

The group didn't rest and immediately looked for the one who requested to have this job done.

Needless to say, it was the house of Baron Tell.

The group was waiting in a room full of chairs. It was quite the dull one, quite unlike for a noble house, but still, they were all able to sit down.

Raygar and Rip were sitting beside each other when finally Raygar started a conversation with Rip.

"Uhm, Senior, I heard that the lord of this house is quite the dangerous type. He doesn't listen to Adventurers like us if I remember right."

"Hmm? Ah, don't worry. The guy leading us is rank 5, and what's more, he's a disciple of a Conqueror; they'll listen to him, no doubt."

In this world, being an Adventurer is an official job for men who have strength. Well, it all depends on a person's rank, connections, talent, and so on.

Basically, the standards are high for one to be an Adventurer. And the reason why the standards for Adventurers are high is because of the benefits given to one.

Receiving advice and assistance in raising one's rank, power and authority, extreme wealth, and fame, all these things are natural for Adventurers.

There are also many other jobs related to strength and forces, but being an Adventurer is the most famous job or occupation.

However, that is only because being an Adventurer gives one a better chance of becoming a Conqueror.

Even though Adventurers have high standards, there are still many of them. It would be correct to say that there are countless Adventurers out in the world.

Conquerors are different. If Adventurers are the stars, then Conquerors are the planets. Their strength is unfathomable, and their influence on the world is immense.

The total number of Conquerors is unknown, but having a connection to one of them is an honor for most people, and it gives power and influence wherever one goes.

Remembering what kind of existence Conquerors are, Raygar couldn't help but agree to what his senior said.

"So, I have done a job with a Conqueror's disciple! Isn't this job too easy for him then?"

"That's not always true. There are instances where even a disciple of a Conqueror would die on a job like this."

"Instances? What do you mean by that, senior?"

"Hahaha, nevermind it. You're too young."

Raygar smacked his lips when he saw the grin on his senior's face. He wanted to know what could endanger a person who has the backing of a Conqueror.

"Anyway, looks like he's here."

Rip spoke while looking at the door.

"He's here? The door's not opening, senior...?!"

Raygar opened his eyes wide when he turned his head back to the door. That's because his eyes saw a person who wasn't standing there before.

He didn't even hear any footsteps or the door opening, yet he was able to enter...

'A master!' thought Raygar as he took the person's figure from top to bottom.

The master was wearing a military uniform. The uniform was crude, but it had the necessary appeal for people to think of him as a master of some arts.

A slim body, but he clearly has some tough muscles under those clothes of his. He wore spectacles over his handsome face.

Raygar was thinking about how he didn't see this handsome guy when he was in Kardeum when suddenly, the man bowed slightly with his right hand over his chest and then spoke with an elegant voice.

"Hello, everyone, I am Baron Tell."