Translator: CinderTL
As if worried Roland might doubt his words, Hoby immediately began to explain the sailing knowledge he possessed in detail.
Not only was his explanation clear and organized, but to accommodate Roland's beginner status, he simplified complex technical terms, using plain language that even a layman could easily understand.
Within moments, Roland felt he had gained a wealth of knowledge, leaving him astonished by the halfling's learning ability and intelligence.
"Excellent," Roland said, raising an eyebrow slightly. "How about this? I teach you combat skills, and in exchange, you teach me sailing?"
"Of course!" Hoby's eyes lit up with excitement, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.
Watching the halfling's joyful reaction, Roland couldn't help but smile. Through their conversation, he had confirmed the deep bond between the two brothers. While he could have asked Nielsen to arrange for someone to teach him sailing, striking this deal with Hoby would not only provide him with the knowledge he needed but also potentially earn him the friendship of a promising young captain. And the cost to him was merely a little time.
Moreover, Roland came to the training grounds every day to hone his skills, so guiding Hoby was merely a side task that required almost no extra effort.
This was practically a risk-free investment.
"Let's call it a day for now..."
Roland gestured towards the darkening sky.
"I'll meet you at the training grounds at this time tomorrow afternoon."
"Yes, Mr. Roland!"
Hoby's face lit up with excitement at Roland's approval.
After a few more brief exchanges, Roland bid Hoby farewell and left the Knight Academy.
But he didn't go straight home. Instead, he boarded a small boat and headed towards the Adventurer's Guild he had passed yesterday.
Since he had already mastered the skills required to become an Apprentice Knight, all that remained was to refine them to max level through practice.
Therefore, he needed to prioritize the remaining two requirements: "slaying a demonic beast" and "leading a squad to defeat a formidable enemy."
After paying the boat fare, Roland followed his memory and soon arrived at the Adventurer's Guild.
Unlike the guilds in Mist Creek Town or Pine Wood Town in the Blackwater Territory, this guild in the River Domain's Royal Capitals boasted a grander and more streamlined architectural design.
The mercenaries and adventurers entering and exiting the guild, judging by their appearance and demeanor alone, were far superior to the rabble one might find in Pine Wood Town.
Taking a deep breath, Roland pushed open the door and stepped inside.
In an instant, a wave of boisterous voices surged toward him like a tidal wave.
Yet the air wasn't filled with the expected pungent odor of sweat and cheap alcohol.
Despite the cacophony, the mercenaries and adventurers within the guild were seated respectfully around wooden tables, engaged in conversation. There was no sign of any troublemakers.
Roland quickly scanned the room, confirming that the layout was identical to other guilds he'd visited. Then, he moved with practiced ease toward a wall plastered with neatly arranged quests.
The quests themselves were fairly standard: exterminate demonic beasts, escort merchant caravans, find missing persons or lost items.
But as his gaze drifted upward, several quest notices that stood out sharply from the others caught his attention.
One parchment, slightly curled and yellowed with age, had clearly been hanging there for a long time compared to the clean, new notices around it.
What truly piqued Roland's interest, however, was that in place of the usual crimson dot indicating the quest's difficulty level, there was a glaring, oversized red cross.
"Eliminate the goblin camp. No time limit. Reward..."
The space where the reward amount should have been was covered in repeated ink smudges. Finally, Roland could barely make out the number: "92 silver coins."
"That's quite a sum..."
Though Roland wasn't short on money at the moment, he couldn't help but marvel at the reward, which far exceeded those offered for other nearby quests. He then continued to study the details of the commission.
"Located in the eastern Moss Swamp (now within the Mistland), east of the capital..."
Following the detailed location description and a rough map were several lines of text added later.
Written in shocking blood-red ink.
"BEAR GOBLINS INSIDE! EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! DO NOT PROCEED UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN OF YOUR ABILITY!"
Immediately after this warning, a similarly blood-red arrow violently pointed to the adjacent parchment.
That parchment contained a neatly organized list of names.
Dawn Mercenary Group: Entire group wiped out. Overall strength assessment: Extraordinary.
Raven's Eye Squad: Three members died of their wounds. The rest are missing (presumed dead). Overall strength assessment: Extraordinary.
Blood Oath Brotherhood: Severed limbs found in the camp. Confirmed casualties: Scarface Carlos (torn in half), Quicksword Lina (skull crushed). Overall strength assessment: Extraordinary.
Ashes: No survivors.
Anvil Mercenary Group
Roland's brow furrowed deeply as he read the chilling lines.
Though he still didn't know who truly controlled the Adventurer's Guild, his past observations had shown the organization to be meticulous, never acting without purpose or intentionally deceiving.
This meant the extraordinary strength assessments for the mercenary groups and adventurer squads on the list were likely accurate, and they had indeed been wiped out in that mission.
"Bear Goblins..."
Roland murmured the name, his expression turning grave.
Unlike the Aberrant Kobolds he had encountered in the Blackwater Territory, Bear Goblins were documented in ancient texts as a real species—a savage variant of gnome-like creatures.
They were cruel and cunning, possessing not only human-level intelligence but also formidable physical strength and astonishing agility.
Even more terrifying, according to the ancient texts, their devout faith in a certain deity granted each Bear Goblin the potential for mysterious and unpredictable supernatural abilities.
After the Final Epoch, this creature vanished completely.
At least since Roland had arrived in this world, he had never heard its name mentioned in any adventurer's tales or local legends.
"This ancient demonic beast has reappeared... It seems the resurgence of magic is far more rapid than I anticipated. But..."
A sharp glint flashed in Roland's eyes.
"This could be an opportunity for me!"
If even Bear Goblins had resurfaced, other powerful demonic beasts were bound to follow.
This meant he would have more potential targets to fulfill the "lead a squad to defeat a formidable enemy" requirement for his Apprentice Knight certification.
However, Roland was far from a reckless novice.
Even though his current strength placed him among the elite among the extraordinary, he understood the importance of gathering intelligence and proceeding cautiously, even when facing goblins or kobolds far weaker than him.
In this world, where Magic Elements were becoming increasingly active, danger would only grow with each passing day.
"Hunting down the Bear Goblin can be put on the agenda, but before that, we must gather as much detailed intelligence as possible. Furthermore..."
Thinking about the requirement for a squad of three or more, Roland frowned again.
"Galvis may seem cynical, but his strength is undeniable. Add Avril, the apprentice ranger who usually has nothing to do... that leaves us one person short..."
Roland shook his head helplessly.
While the minimum requirement was three, facing such a dangerous demonic beast, he wished he could bring thirty or forty powerful individuals along.
Unfortunately, within his current social circle, only Avril and Galvis seemed reliable enough to fight alongside him.
Although he was currently favored by the Merchant Faction, Roland didn't believe they would readily mobilize dozens of extraordinary individuals to protect him just to fulfill his personal request to exterminate the demonic beast.
"It seems this matter requires careful consideration," he mused, shifting his gaze from the crimson-lettered commission to other documents.
(End of the Chapter)
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