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Chapter 54: Dimas’s Hire

Dimas stood beside the table in full plate armor.

He kept silent.

Yet Reiner could feel him desperately signaling something.

After a while Reiner finally could not hold back and asked, “What is it?”

“Undead have appeared south of Melod; we are going into the ruins to sweep them out, the team already has 1 mage and still needs another,” he said concisely, leaving no doubt that he wanted to hire Reiner.

“The ruins are very dangerous.”

“It is just killing skeletons, the risk is not very high, and most of the participants are veteran militiamen… 100 of them in all.”

The fighting power of 100 militiamen was still quite impressive.

After all, as far as he knew, Melod’s total population was only about 4,000, and those capable of fighting numbered barely 600.

Although the scale was smaller than last time when they went to Dawn Forest to exterminate goblins, regularly drilled militia were definitely stronger than the vast majority of adventurers.

Therefore, when Dimas said this he looked rather confident.

Reiner stated bluntly, “There is a necromancer inside the ruins.”

Dimas blinked, remained silent for a long time, and then asked half-doubtfully, “Really?”

“Of course; although I love to joke, I never joke about matters of life and death,” Reiner replied solemnly.

“How do you know?”

“3 days ago I rescued a man named Pierre Craig from the ruins; he had gone berserk and, when he briefly regained sanity, told me so himself,” Reiner pointed at Junice beside him, “She was there and heard it too.”

If even that was not enough to make Dimas believe, Reiner had no other way.

After all, he could not reveal the mission given by his system.

“Where is that Craig staying?”

“I don’t know; I only know his father is an honest farmer and his mother became seriously ill not long ago… beyond that I know nothing,” Reiner said with a shrug.

“Wait a moment.”

Dimas turned and walked out of the Adventurers’ Guild.

Reiner craned his neck to glance outside.

He was talking with the knight named Adney.

“Reiner, are we really not going?”

“Let’s see; if the price is right, we can give it a try.”

“Okay.”

Dimas returned not long afterward.

“I will report this matter to the lord.”

“Fine.”

The two of them fell silent again.

Seeing that Dimas was indeed tight-lipped, Reiner had to ask, “If I go to the ruins, roughly how much reward can I get?”

Dimas answered without hesitation, “15 gold coins.”

He responded so quickly that he had probably rehearsed it in his head before coming over.

The price was pretty good.

Presumably, if they killed the necromancer, the reward would increase further.

“What about Junice?”

Dimas sized her up quickly and said with a straight face, “1 gold coin.”

???

Reiner asked awkwardly, “Do you agree with that price?”

Junice looked somewhat gloomy but still nodded. “I agree; better than sitting idle…”

Had she disagreed, Reiner could have bargained a bit, but he had not expected her to nod so readily.

“Then that is the price; where do we meet?”

“At the city gate tomorrow morning,” Dimas said as he turned to leave. “I have other business; get yourselves ready.”

Reiner watched his departing back in speechless amazement.

Since he had other business, it was incredible that he had preferred to stand there silently a moment ago.

Junice sighed, laid her head on the table sadly, and said, “Reiner, I am so jealous of your talent; Dimas pays you 15 gold coins and only 1 gold coin for me…”

Not knowing how to comfort her, Reiner pointed at the two beast-eared girls behind him.

“Maybe… because I bring 2 extra people, so he is willing to pay me more; after all, Martina is very strong, and he is no fool… he saw that.”

Junice pouted. “All right.”

After sitting a little longer she left as well, saying she needed to go home and prepare.

When Junice was gone, Martina took the seat opposite, and Nora slipped into the one beside him.

Reiner recalled their last experience in the ruins and stroked Nora’s cat ears.

“What does it feel like when the ruins corrode your Spirit?”

Nora thought for a long time before she slowly answered, “My head hurt terribly; I felt dizzy and suffocated, and I could hear the whispers of the dead at my ear. The feeling was unbearable. I would also, for no reason, picture all sorts of terrible things. It was terrifying. For example, Martina suddenly dying, or all of you being eaten by spiders, or Master abandoning us and running away alone.”

Reiner could more or less imagine what that felt like.

In a frightening environment, malevolent forces kept eroding an already shaky resolve, so it was no wonder Pierre had resorted to extremes and ranted madly.

Reiner gently rubbed Nora’s ears and said softly, “When we go into the ruins again, no matter what the evil whispers tell you, remember this: I will never abandon you. Whatever happens, I will not leave you behind, because besides being my companion, you are now my family, and I will do everything I can to protect you.”

Nora’s face quickly turned red; she lowered her head and pressed her hands on Reiner’s thigh. “I will also do everything I can to protect Master, and I will remember Master’s kindness for the rest of my life.”

Sitting opposite them, Martina complained, “Ugh, it’s early morning and you two are already so mushy…”

Reiner continued, “If an idiot like Martina gets hurt, I will turn around and leave without a second thought.”

Nora burst out laughing and added, “Same here.”

Martina rolled her eyes. “Tch, I can’t possibly get hurt; my armor is so sturdy nothing will happen.”

(Still, I am magnanimous; even if Reiner treats me like that, if real danger comes I will still risk my life to save him! )

“Nonsense… you have a pact mark; if you dare not save me, you will die anyway!”

Unable to argue, Martina began to curse. “Dog!”

The three of them chatted for a while and then headed home.

On the way, Nora suddenly took Reiner’s hand.

The two of them exchanged a smile and said nothing.

Yet her inner voice drifted over: (I am so glad I met Reiner back then; he is a man to whom I can entrust my life.)

Reiner changed course toward the tavern. “Come on, let’s buy 2 smoked chickens to eat; we set off tomorrow, so we have to fill our stomachs.”

Martina poked Reiner’s shoulder, frantically signaling him.

(White bread, you know!)

“What is it?” Reiner asked, pretending ignorance.

He wanted to tease this horse girl.

Martina pursed her lips and lowered her voice. “Reiner… I want to eat white bread.”

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