The village chief and village officials quickly arranged a separate space to talk with the mercenaries.

However, before they could say anything, Bireta spoke up.

“We’ve secured support from Matap.”

“R-Really…!”

“Our mercenary group will prioritize the safety of the village just as requested.”

“Thank you. Whatever reward we can offer, feel free to…”

Clang. Bireta pulled out a gold medal with a scorpion pattern on the table.

It was the gold medal that the village chief had sent as an explanation according to Sharuti’s intention.

“First, this scorpion gold medal.”

Bireta’s eyes sparkled.

“Can we receive it as an advance payment in gold?”

While the village chief was dealing with Bireta, Ashu was also busy. As it was the first time they were receiving guests, the villagers were also bustling.

The mercenaries were generally carefree, and the residents caught up in the atmosphere paid no attention.

Meanwhile, quietly gathered throughout the village were individuals who were sprawled out.

“This… is insane.”

“Do you see my hands trembling right now? I’m going to lay out the cards right here.”

“Hey, wait your turn.”

“Is this the so-called holy state that those potion addicts talk about? This is paradise.”

The magic users that Bireta brought were talking.

As soon as they entered the village, they seemed to be muttering as if drunk and then stuck to the ground, unable to get up.

The magic users with large mana vessels in their bodies breathed passionately in an excited state.

“Hey, I can feel the sensation of being full even if I don’t eat now, just by breathing.”

“I even cast a recovery spell on those guys who never get up normally. There’s still mana left, quite a bit.”

“I too… cast… a preservation spell… everyone was surprised…”

The magic users were ecstatic as if dreaming. It seemed like they were dreaming.

Mana could be felt in everything that made up the sky, the ground, and the village.

Ashu’s village was paradise for those who freely lived among tightly packed mercenaries.

They didn’t make a fuss about how such a place existed.

Of course, they had fundamental questions, but the magic users forcefully pushed their curiosity aside.

‘What’s important now is that we’ve set foot here!’

‘It was originally a hidden village. If we set up here and there in a place like this, we might be resented.’

‘They might kick us out if we show that we’re uncovering secrets! Let’s just stay as quiet as possible.’

Instead of uncovering the past, the magic users began to dream of the future.

And in their minds, they were already filled with plans to settle down and establish a workshop in the village.

Other members of the mercenary group were the same.

In addition to the magic users, Ashu’s village was also popular among the mercenaries.

“Is Bireta negotiating with the village chief as the representative now?”

“Since it’s a request that Madam came in first, negotiations will take a long time as it involves Matap too.”

“Not only that. This village could become the first base for our mercenary group.”
The Kroff Mercenary Group, led by Bireta, had no established base like other mercenary groups until now. Due to each member having a unique background that kept them out of noble scrutiny, establishing a stronghold was not an easy task. On the other hand, Ashu’s village, hidden in the depths of high mountains, was spacious. Moreover, being within the Newton Empire while not officially registered with the empire made the village intriguing.

“So treat the villagers well. Make them smile a bit.”

“If I smile with this face, they’ll probably be frightened.”

“Then you smile as the representative. They’ve become indebted to us for a long time, so let’s show them our best.”

In this way, the mercenaries could be friendly to the village while the residents, though puzzled, could breathe a sigh of relief. People collapsing one by one, Sharuti the doctor’s visit, and the disappearing food accompanied by the revealed symptoms – how surprising and anxious it must have been. Eventually, the village chief made the decision to entrust the mercenaries with saving the village.

“Trust and follow us.”

With the sudden changes, the villagers couldn’t help but feel confused. The rules and control that had tacitly been in place were abruptly changed overnight, naturally causing anxiety.

Moreover, mercenaries. In a peaceful and quiet village, a storm seemed imminent.

However, the worries and tension were in vain because the mercenary group that visited the village was friendly.

“Come here! If it’s heavy, leave it to us!”

“You can leave the heavy lifting to us! We’re here to help!”

“All the weapons are put away over there, so don’t worry.”

Rather, the mercenaries were considerate and excessively kind to the villagers.

Naturally, their favorability increased.

Even the residents who kept a distance and were cautious gradually relaxed, not trying to resist the presence of the Kroff Mercenary Group.

“Stay well, quietly.”