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In a blind spot within a small patch of woods.
A man with rough, cracked skin and severe frostbite scars glaring maliciously out of the corner of his eye, lowering his voice:
"Boss, we just gonna let this caravan walk?
"Only four wagons, but they've got a massive escort. The cargo can't be simple—it's definitely worth serious coin!"
"If you can fight ten men at once, I wouldn't mind trying a raid." The scarred man's boss sneered coldly.
Then, he cursed internally:
"Bastard's so damn cautious, he's practically starving us!"
————
The group marched steadily, only stopping to set up camp when night fell.
They built fires for warmth and handed out hardtack.
This area was on the eastern coast of the North. While the temperature was slightly milder than the deep inland, it was still subject to the North's brutal weather.
The sky sank into a thick, impenetrable ink-black.
Only a sparse scattering of cold stars hung overhead.
The wind whipped across the hills, tearing the warmth of the campfires to shreds.
Don Quixote had set the watch rotation early, ensuring every single person in the party fell within the range of the Nightmare Bone's influence.
He sat on a flat patch of grass.
Appearing to slowly, methodically polish his longsword.
But in reality, the vast majority of his focus was fixed on the storylines playing out in the dreamscapes.
There was mostly disappointment, but a few surprises.
"Well, it wasn't a total wash."
After a long time, Don Quixote pulled back his consciousness and thought silently:
"Twenty-six men. Only three have ironclad convictions, and one of them is from Silas's caravan.
"Fourteen can't be trusted. Nine are usable!
"Out of the sixteen I preliminarily screened, I can only keep seven. One has ironclad convictions, and the other six are recruitable!
"Warren having such firm convictions... that surprised me.
"Tom and Shane surprised me too. Heh. They'd betray me in a heartbeat!"
The night passed quickly.
Early the next morning, Don Quixote issued orders with an unchanging expression, having the men of the Bloody Hand Mercenary Company take up organized defensive positions around the four wagons.
————
Oldcastle was one of the oldest castles in the North.
Before the Andal invasion, during the Dawn Age of the First Men, it had served as the royal seat of House Locke when they ruled as petty kings.
The people of the lands primarily kept the Old Gods.
Don Quixote looked up at the ancient fortress, built by the First Men before the Long Night of the Age of Heroes.
The main structure was constructed from deep gray stone quarried from the eastern coast of the North.
The walls were incredibly thick, reaching several meters at their widest points.
Thick enough to withstand the blizzards and gales of the long Northern winters.
And the bombardment of siege engines.
The crossed keys sigil of House Locke was carved into several key positions along the walls.
The rest of the walls were unadorned stone.
Fully displaying the crude, solemn nature of First Men architecture.
Several thick, circular stone watchtowers were spaced along the walls.
The tallest of these was known as the "Key Tower."
The violet-and-white banner bearing the crossed keys of House Locke flew from its peak year-round.
Two crossed bronze keys on a field of violet with a white vertical stripe—the sigil of House Locke.
A stern-faced cavalry captain stopped the caravan, keeping a wary eye on the Bloody Hand mercenaries while speaking with Silas.
Before long, the cavalry captain walked over to Don Quixote.
He wore a thick wool surcoat in violet and white.
A solid white vertical stripe ran down the front, with the full crossed keys sigil embroidered in bronze thread on both the chest and back.
Don Quixote took a look, then heard the cavalry captain say coldly:
"Your men cannot enter the castle. There are inns nearby; stay there!
"Remember! Do not cause trouble for the smallfolk!"
Don Quixote nodded and smiled:
"Understood."
The cavalry captain added stiffly:
"After sunset, no one is allowed within a hundred paces of the walls.
"Cause any trouble, and we won't give you a second chance to explain."
With that, the cavalry captain turned and left.
Silas walked over then, his face full of guilt:
"Ser Don Quixote, it looks like you and your men will have to spend the night outside the walls.
"Ser Donnel Locke believes that allowing too many armed men into the outer town's merchant quarters poses a security risk to Oldcastle."
Don Quixote smiled slowly:
"It's fine. We're used to sleeping rough."
Silas instantly let out a sigh of relief.
His round, plump face flushed with obvious embarrassment as he apologized again in a low voice:
"Ser Don Quixote, I am truly sorry."
The caravan hands filed orderly into Oldcastle.
Meanwhile, the Bloody Hand slowly turned away to find suitable lodgings, eventually stopping outside a shabby inn half a mile west of the castle gates.
It was a low, two-story building made of rough stone, with a rust-spotted iron sign hanging over the door.
Don Quixote assigned two men to stand guard outside and watch the horses.
The rest of them piled into the cramped, shabby inn.
————
Two days later.
The outskirts of White Harbor.
...Didn't expect a single damn thing to happen the entire way. If I had known, I wouldn't have hired the Bloody Hand Mercenary Company.
A full 2 Gold Dragons! That was nearly half his profit for the entire trip!
Silas reluctantly handed a pouch of coins to Don Quixote.
This was the remainder of the payment for the contract.
Don Quixote smiled and took it:
"A pleasure doing business with you, Lord Silas."
"A pleasure, Ser Don Quixote," Silas squeezed out a smile.
After parting ways with Silas, Don Quixote distributed the payment for the mission.
He received 2 Gold Dragons from Silas, but he ended up paying out over 3 Gold Dragons for the trip.
However, considering the system rewards and the seven usable men he was about to recruit.
He had come out far ahead.
[Employer: Silas]
[Quest: Protect the fish merchant Silas's caravan safely to Oldcastle and safely back to White Harbor.]
[Reward:
206 Gold Dragons (Claimable)
A Large Sack of Blood Apples (Claimable)]
"Claim!"
————
The next day.
Don Quixote handed a pre-written recruitment list and the addresses of the men on it to Cole, ordering:
"Cole, you and Alden go fetch these men and bring them here."
Cole took the list and smiled:
"My Lord, are these the new members you plan to recruit into the Bloody Hand?"
Don Quixote nodded:
"Yes. I believe these men will be useful."
Cole and Alden quickly left.
Not long after.
Don Quixote stood at the front of the courtyard, looking at the seven men before him.
Zachary, Jeremy...
The names of the seven men flashed through his mind one by one.
Among them, Zachary was the only one with ironclad convictions.
They looked at each other for a moment.
The seven men in the courtyard showed traces of eager anticipation at being invited.
Don Quixote had told them yesterday.
That today, he would invite the suitable ones to officially join the Bloody Hand Mercenary Company.
Finally, Don Quixote smiled slowly:
"I believe you are all men worthy of trust!
"Therefore, I sincerely invite you to join the Bloody Hand Mercenary Company!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the seven men in the courtyard—though they had expected it—let out massive sighs of relief.
...