Episode 54 If you don’t like it, don’t read it. (1)
The mercenaries gaped in amazement at the sight of a huge tower rising in the middle of a splendid city at the southern end of the Brivant domain.
“Wow, whoa… … This is the Red Flame Tower… … .”
“This is my first time here too.”
“It looks more gorgeous than Leipold?”
“They say the Crimson Tower is the best, but it looks like this place is no slouch either.”
Even though it was pushed back by the Crimson Magic Tower, it was still a Magic Tower.
Numerous shops were gathered around the huge and ornate tower.
As the number of stores targeting wizards increased, it eventually became a city.
A security system created in the name of protecting the Red Flame Tower itself was protecting the area around the tower and the Brivant territory.
The development of the Brevan territory was largely due to the tower.
The Count of Brivant was so powerful that he had to watch over the eyes of the Matapju.
Jiselle looked around leisurely, but couldn’t help but feel admiration inside.
‘That’s amazing.’
The city’s appearance was amazing, but what was even more surprising was the people’s reaction.
Even though there were a lot of vicious mercenaries swarming around, they weren’t particularly scared. They didn’t feel particularly threatened.
Just from that alone, you could tell how good the security here was. The people’s level of awareness was also high.
Even during the time of the Mercenary King, Jisel had been to cities in other countries with magic towers, but none of them were as developed as Brivant.
‘The security and the city structure are both excellent, but… …the people and the streets are unusually clean. Did they do something to the Magic Tower?’
Usually, wizards only focus on their own research and do not do much to benefit others.
The area around the Magic Tower is developing faster than other areas, but that is only a natural result of doing business with magicians.
However, the area around the Red Flame Tower was much cleaner and more developed than the areas around other towers.
‘I guess it might be because Matapju is obsessive-compulsive disorder, as rumored.’
It could not be denied that the Red Flame’s Magic Tower had a personality that could not stand being surrounded by dirt, so it was possible that he had taken action.
Or maybe he was so absorbed in playing Yeongju that he developed the surroundings like this.
In any case, for Jisel, who was trying to develop his territory in the future, it was a city with a lot to see and learn.
“Wow, people here must be really well off.”
“All these houses look like mansions where nobles live?”
“Just look at the road. The city was built with complete determination.”
The people of Brimstone all wore luxurious clothes and smelled good, as if they were nobles.
They passed by, looking at the mercenaries walking around in a strange manner.
Even the mercenaries who would normally strut down the streets confidently felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere and trembled.
“Damn, we look like total country bumpkins.”
The mercenaries were busy looking around, grumbling.
The sophisticated and clean city was a sight not seen even in Leipold, one of the wealthiest estates in the North.
The mercenaries who had been watching for a while heard people chattering.
“Are you mercenaries from the North? Look at their clothes. They look so rustic.”
“Don’t you think it smells somehow?”
“We are the clean beggars, but other places are all like that. How pitiful. Tsk tsk.”
“What are the mercenaries doing here?”
The mercenaries blushed in embarrassment.
If it were normal, he would have frowned and made a fuss.
But now, I was so intimidated by the city’s splendid scenery and the sophisticated appearance of its people that I couldn’t even think of going out.
Still, there are bound to be mercenaries with fiery personalities.
“Hey, shit! It’s f*cking noisy! Do you want to die?”
Several members of the Cerberus mercenary group took out their weapons and began threatening the people around them.
The people who had been gathered in groups of three or five and chatting were startled and retreated far away. However, they did not look that scared even as they avoided the situation.
“Oh my, you look so weird. Why are you so angry?”
“It’s because I didn’t learn. Because I didn’t learn. Tsk tsk tsk.”
“Where is this place that you’re trying to cause such a ruckus?”
“If I see it twice, I’ll get killed.”
One of the Cerberus mercenaries was about to run away, gritting his teeth at the people’s reactions.
But Giselle firmly stopped him.
“Stop it. Don’t mind those words and just move quietly.”
“No! Sir! They’re after us!”
“We’re just country bumpkins. Let’s just watch.”
Jiselle said with a sly smile. Kaor glared at her from behind as if to tell her to behave herself.
The mercenaries’ faces were distorted.
People used to get scared and hesitate when they saw them, or run away, but here, they just looked at them as if they were laughing, so it made me seethe.
I would have liked to have knocked him down, but I couldn’t move rashly because Jiselle and Kaor were stopping me.
The group walked to the top of the tower with their heads bowed.
It didn’t feel good to suddenly become a spectacle for people.
But as they got closer to the tower, the mercenaries opened their mouths again in admiration.
It was obvious that he was overwhelmed by the size of the tower, which could not be captured in one glance.
‘Anyway, it’s simple.’
Jiselle shook her head and followed the mercenaries.
Meanwhile, the gatekeeper guarding the entrance to the magic tower frowned as he saw Jiselle and her group approaching from afar.
‘A group tour? Tsk tsk, you look like you’re not doing well, but you came to have fun.’
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The reason tourism came to mind was simple. Nobles often came to this city to meet the wizards or to see the tower.
The fact that there seemed to be a lot of people also played a part.
There were usually two cases where so many people would gather at once: one was a group of nobles out for sightseeing, and the other was a merchant group coming to sell goods.
But as the group got closer, the gatekeeper’s expression became more crumpled.
The clothes of Giselle and her party were too shabby for tourists, and their impressions were not good.
If the opponent was a noble or a high-ranking official, then of course you should greet them with a big smile, but there was no need to control your expression even to those types of people.
Although he was only a gatekeeper, the gatekeeper was the face that represented the Magic Tower.
If you treat them kindly for no reason and end up looking funny to a group of beggars, the authority of the Magic Tower will be tarnished.
In fact, he was just a commoner and an insignificant person, but the huge backdrop of the Magic Tower behind him gave him strength.
‘But I work at the Magic Tower, so I’m no ordinary person. Ahem.’
They say that even if you’re born a dog, it’s better to be a noble dog. That’s exactly what the gatekeeper was like.
As the faces of Giselle and the mercenaries came close enough to be discernible, the wagons that had been pulled behind them also came into view.
Only then did the gatekeeper realize the purpose of Giselle’s group’s visit.
‘Looking at the pile of things they’re carrying, it looks like they’re not here to tour but to sell something.’
Sometimes, mercenaries or adventurers would come to the Magic Tower to sell rare items they had obtained.
Although it was rare for groups like Jiselle’s group to come, it was not completely unheard of.
If he was a mercenary or an adventurer, it would make sense for him to have such a shabby outfit.
‘Hmm, judging by the number of wagons, they’re not rare or valuable. Judging by the outlines covered in cloth, they don’t seem to be made of wood… … They must be byproducts of monsters or beasts.’
The gatekeeper, who had guessed that far, clicked his tongue.
Although the Red Flame Tower has now fallen to second place, it was previously ranked first.
They made a lot of money, and the magicians had a keen eye for things.
In a word, it was luxurious.
Because of that aspect, he was eventually overtaken by other magic towers… …. He still had old habits and only bought the highest quality products, such as monster or beast skins.
Of course, there was also a separate dedicated upper level that supplied such items.
If it was something that mercenaries had brought in, it would have many flaws and the quality would not be very good. If it was a rare item, that would be fine, but there was no reason to buy common materials from mercenaries.
‘I guess it’s better to send it back.’
The gatekeeper braced himself and waited for Giselle and her party to approach.
As soon as he reached the entrance to the tower, Giselle got off his horse. Belinda was startled and grabbed him as he strode forward.
“Where are you going? Ask Mr. Gillian!”
Jiselle looked back with a sullen expression.
“Do I really have to do that? Even in Leipold, I ended up stepping forward.”
“That’s when it was! I told you not to come forward from the beginning.”
Belinda glanced at Gillian, holding on to Giselle tightly. Gillian walked silently to the doorkeeper.
“This is the Grand Duke of Ferdium… … .”
The gatekeeper cut Gillian off with a bashful expression.
“I’m not buying it.”
“……what?”
“I’m not buying what you brought.”
The gatekeeper looked arrogant.
It wasn’t an example that he would show to a group of nobles. However, it was a natural reaction for him, who saw Giselle and her party as a group of mercenaries.
Jiselle sighed inwardly, crossing her arms behind him.
Because he was always walking around with a dirty look on his face, everyone who saw him tended to ignore him.
During the time of the Mercenary King, he dressed roughly like he does now, and even his subordinates wore strange attire, but no one ignored him.
If you just hang up one flag symbolizing the Mercenary King, everyone will automatically bow their heads or avoid it.
But now that even the name Ferdium, let alone the King of Mercenaries, was not well known, he had no choice but to be evaluated based on his appearance.
‘Well… … I guess I should decorate it a bit when I get some money.’
I didn’t mean to blame the gatekeeper.
It’s natural to judge someone you meet for the first time by their appearance. It was only during the time of the Mercenary King that I recognized him because he had a flag.
I understand, but… … I don’t want to waste time standing in front of the door.
Eventually, Giselle stepped forward.
“I don’t want to quarrel with the gatekeeper. Bring the trade manager of the tower. No, I need to meet the owner of the tower.”
The gatekeeper looked dumbfounded.
“No, I’m not buying it. The Red Flame Tower doesn’t buy just anything. And you want to meet the Tower Lord? The Tower Lord is the one who can’t even meet the Lord as he pleases.”
Gillian growled at the gatekeeper’s rude remark, unable to bear it any longer.
“You’re a janitor, how arrogant of you. Do you have two lives? Bring me here immediately.”
The gatekeeper stepped back, slightly frightened by the momentum.
He was surprised because no one had ever been this cruel to him since he had been appointed gatekeeper of the magic tower.
But he soon shook his head and came to his senses.
‘Don’t be afraid! I am the face of the tower!’
Because I was confident that even if just a couple of magicians from the Magic Tower came, I would be able to sweep away this bunch of beggars.
“Hey, do you know where this is? You thug! Why can’t you just back off!”
Giselle sighed as she watched the gatekeeper struggling.
‘At this rate, I won’t be able to go in today.’
He gestured to Kaor without saying a word.
Kaor looked around, took a piece of runestone from the cart, and approached Giselle.
I was careful because if it became known that there were several runestones, the surrounding area would become noisy.
‘So that’s why you’re the captain? You’re quite perceptive.’
Jiselle felt secretly pleased as she took the runestone and thrust it in front of the gatekeeper.
“You work at the top of the tower, so you know what this is, right? I came here to sell this.”
The gatekeeper looked at the stone fragments that Jiselle had brought in.
The crystal shards emitted a soft light as if they were bewitching him.
The gatekeeper frowned in puzzlement, then opened his eyes wide. He recognized the rune stone.
As the gatekeeper froze, Giselle smiled mischievously and spoke again.
“You’re really not going to buy it? Really? Can I just go?”
Only then did the gatekeeper come to his senses as if he had been splashed with cold water.
The magicians are already feeling very uncomfortable due to being pushed back by the Crimson Tower.
But if it became known that I had kicked out a guest who had brought that many runestones, I would have been kicked out, not just from my position as a gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper waved his hands in horror.
“Now, please wait a moment! No, just come in! Please!”
There was no guarantee that the rest of the luggage on the cart would all be runestones, but the gatekeeper had no time to think about such things right now.
As she passed the welcoming gatekeeper, Giselle tapped him on the shoulder.
“I’ll make sure to tell the gatekeeper that the gatekeeper here did a good job.”
